How should we talk to people who are afraid?
UFT members have begun to talk about job actions, especially after Michael Mulgrew mentioned them on tv.
There are people who are excited – I don’t get that. Job actions are last resorts. They mean that all other means have broken down, and that something is very wrong. And yes, today something is very wrong.
There are people who are expressing reluctant support for what is necessary. Put me in that camp. In fact, subdivide that camp into those who will do whatever Mulgrew recommends (not me), and those who are pro-union, but have a healthy distrust of the leadership. Here’s something I put on social media:
Many of you know I take issue with the UFT leadership, strategies, priorities, how the union is run. I talk about those things to push the union to be better. But if we take action, we all take action. This is not anonymous. The pledge has to be open. If we go out, we all go out together.
But then there are people who are scared. People who are expressing doubts. Even people openly contemplating not following the union’s lead if there is a job action.
I have seen people called names for this, called scabs. Accused of putting the rest of us at risk. And that CONTINUE READING: How should we talk to people who are afraid? | JD2718