NYC Educator: When's the Best Time to Activate UFT Activists?

NYC Educator: When's the Best Time to Activate UFT Activists?:

When's the Best Time to Activate UFT Activists?

I'm amazed at how we're under attack on so many different fronts. Aside from Vergara and its copycats, the US Supreme Court appears to be contemplating making the United States a Right to Work country. This is really not what its supporters would have you believe. If dues are optional, a lot of people simply won't bother paying them. Thus it will be tough for union to survive. I've read accounts of unions collapsing under such weight.

In our school, we collect 12 bucks a year for our Sunshine Fund, which buys gifts and does luncheons and such. Some people will say they don't have it, they didn't bring it, they have bills, or whatever. And that's over 12 bucks. When it's a thousand, it'll certainly be a tougher sell, and a lot of people will be thinking about a big screen TV, a new Mac, or whatever.

I'll pay, but I'll be cognizant that neither I nor my school gets any representation in the UFT, NYSUT, or the AFT.  Why the hell is that? It's because my union is run by an elite political machine that not only broaches no difference of opinion, but also requires loyalty oaths of anyone who wishes to act as a representative or advance within the ranks. And those who act as representatives are free only to represent leadership, under pain of expulsion. Thus there's no grassroots representation whatsoever. This extends to NYSUT and AFT, since UFT's rubber stamp is the tail that wags the dog.

I pay into UFT COPE, but when they send me a list of people who haven't contributed, I don't make it a large priority to solicit more contributions. It's hard for me to forget that UFT sat out term 3 of the Michael Bloomberg Experience. It's hard for me to forget that, for a few NYC Educator: When's the Best Time to Activate UFT Activists?: