UFT: Letter from the Union President

Sept. 9, 2008

Dear Colleague:

Welcome back — I hope all of you had a restful summer; I must admit for most of us, this was a summer that went by so quickly, it was as if it didn't happen.

The UFT was in full operation this summer, working to resolve as many issues as possible before the start of school. Summers aren't what they used to be for teachers, with so many of you working and studying. For the first time, our borough offices remained open to serve you, and hundreds of you took advantage of that. You also took advantage of your last chance at the 55/25 retirement option; more than 41,500 enrolled!

The prospect of a new school year is always both exciting and scary. If you're fairly new on the job, rest assured: even veterans get those butterflies you're feeling in your stomach. It's a well-kept professional secret that on the first day of school the teachers are usually more nervous than the students. Even I, who have been president of the UFT for over a decade, have those same butterflies as I embark upon my new job as president of the American Federation of Teachers, our national union.

At least you don't have to sweat the really serious stuff alone. That's one of the great advantages of having a strong union behind you. Despite severe funding losses for many city and state services, the UFT, working with a coalition of parents, community groups, activists and elected officials, was able to ward off most cuts to school and classroom budgets.

As you may recall, this was no small accomplishment. For months, our members and their coalition partners staged demonstrations, spoke at hearings and lobbied their representatives to protect our schools from the fiscal axe. I have never seen such a sustained and broad-based display of solidarity on behalf of our children. What a way to bust the myth that teachers and their unions are interested only in "job protection"; members' jobs were never on the line, thanks to the job security clause in our contract.

That does not mean that all is hunky-dory. The budget issues will plague us all next year as they did this summer. By this past June, the restorations to the DOE budget were intended to provide all schools with at least as much as they had last year, but we weren't without casualties. Although the City Council, in good part because of your tremendous efforts, was valiant in its restorations, when it came to Teacher's Choice, we first faced total elimination, then battled back to save 60 percent. As a result, this year's reimbursements will be $150 for all teachers, $100 for social workers, school psychologists and guidance counselors, $50 for school secretaries, and $75 for lab specialists. Obviously, Teacher's Choice will be at the top of our agenda in next year's budget talks so our kids can have all the special materials they need. In the meantime, may I suggest turning to Donors Choose (www.donorschoose.org) for support for your special classroom projects.

In Albany this summer, due to a significant shortfall in tax receipts, a new budget threat was developing. Despite a troubling fiscal outlook, the state's spring budget provided all the promised funds to city schools, including the next installment of the court-ordered Campaign for Fiscal Equity payments. But in July, Gov. Paterson, warning of rapidly deteriorating revenues, called the Legislature into special session to make deep midyear budget cuts and impose a cap on local property taxes. These are the same kinds of cuts that we see coast to coast in the face of the country's economic distress.

In New York State, just as in California with Proposition 13 years ago, the cap's effect on schools would have been devastating. (Unlike most of the state, city schools are dependent on city finances, not on independent property tax funding. But a cap would increase pressure for state aid to the suburbs, thus reducing the money available for city schools.) Still, a tax cap had broad political appeal and was easily approved in the Senate, after being championed initially by the governor. Speaker Sheldon Silver found a third path — one that was fairer for all — relieving the property tax burden for New Yorkers least able to afford it and raising taxes on the wealthy by a small amount.

Finally, by mid-August, a train wreck was avoided. While other state services were cut, because of our advocacy and that of our allies, the Working Families Party and the Alliance for Quality Education, we were spared midyear budget cuts, which would have been disruptive and destabilizing.

The other potential crisis that was resolved is parking. As you know, the mayor — in our view unfairly, and in his view for sound environmental reasons — has reduced all employee parking, cutting available spots by 20 percent. On the eve of going to court, we finally had a good give-and-take with the city. In the end, unlike every other city agency, we preserved all the designated spots around schools and on school property, made sure our members have a say in who gets parking, and finally have an appeal procedure to try to get more spots.

So what lies ahead? The beginning of school may be a precursor. This will be a year when the mayor and the chancellor try to consolidate and solidify their gains in order to put the best face on the governance system of mayoral control, which must be reauthorized by the state Legislature by June. In fact, the UFT has had a member task force looking at the issue of school governance, and it will be making its recommendations soon.

For our part we will continue to broadcast the message that teachers in classrooms are the linchpin to giving our kids the world-class education that is their right. This year we will take on the issue of overcrowding and the need to align the new capital plan with the requirements to lower class size. We will also continue our fight to stop excessive testing and to instead advocate educating the whole child. Finally, we must renew our advocacy for kids with special needs who seem to be falling through the cracks.

However, before we put the boxing gloves on, let me step back and give you the proper shout-out for what the DOE's own learning survey disclosed: 94 percent of our students' parents and guardians said they were satisfied or very satisfied with their children's teachers. That is an extraordinarily high positive rating, and obviously well-deserved. I know it represents the results of your commitment to your students' success and thousands of hours of your hard work. It's nice to know that others see it as well. And your sterling reputation will stand us in good stead as we make the case for listening to what teachers say about what their students need in order to succeed.

Above all, we will continue to promote the positive idea that a collaborative school environment leads to better teaching and learning while calling to account those school leaders who abuse their authority and treat our members disrespectfully. As always, your take on this is critical, so if you want to shine a light on your school because of its either collaborative or confrontational climate, drop a line to me or the editors of the New York Teacher.

Another important goal, of course, is the election of Barack Obama to the White House. More about that to come.

My staff often tells me my letters to you are too long, that people today simply don't read anything longer than a text message. But I am an avid believer in the power of information. You are entitled to know what your union is doing for you and I want to know what is happening in your professional life. So please keep in touch, and while doing that, as Dermot Smyth said in the Speakout column in the coming issue of New York Teacher, reach out to our newest teachers and bring them under your wing.

And have a great year!

Sincerely,

Randi