What the Heck Is in the Contract?
It really is tricky to say. You may see a single thing, as I did in 2018, and it may well flip out to be a further. Or management could say it truly is a person factor, as they did in 2018, and it could be a little something completely diverse.
Consider Micheal Mulgrew experienced gotten up in entrance of the Delegate Assembly and mentioned he experienced a deal to raise copays, dump retirees into an inferior well being approach, and institute premiums for rank and file. Who would have supported that?
That is not what he said, nevertheless. We were being instructed the agreement had no givebacks. And as for the health care arrangement, I was at the DA when he declared it, taking notes. This is what they say:
Well being treatment negotiated with all unions. Performed 6 months back. MLC imagined
something terrible could materialize with health treatment simply because of DC. We wished to
lock in a offer. No extra copays, but created a alter for all unions.
We tried using to get prepare in superior spot. Was proactive strategy. Has been
out for 6 months. Was clever factor to lock down our well being care with no
important expense ships to union membership. Other people fork out 3200 out of
pocket.
That’s not at all what it turned out to be. Mulgrew also says this:
Well being care has almost nothing to do with this agreement. We are only declaring
this ought to go to membership. They will have a good deal of time to read. We
rushed MOA out for that explanation.
But health care was in the deal, in Appendix B, which we have been not revealed. I absolutely experienced no concept what would ensue immediately after the wellness deal. I believed we experienced no additional copays, no rates, and I did not for a second envision we might move to downgrade the health and fitness treatment of retirees. I believed we experienced a contract at or in the vicinity of charge of living, with no givebacks. Who knew we would mortgaged our well being care to get it? Not me.
Rapidly ahead a couple of yrs and the large university Govt Board associates launched a resolution that we be informed of anything in the true agreement. They also released one particular indicating that we really should oppose any premiums for Emblem/ GHI. Mates notify me these have been opposed by Unity for the reason that they are “political.”
Political—relating to the strategies or methods of a specific party or group in politics.
Properly, that seems about right. Is that a undesirable thing? What if the idea or approach contains building points greater for performing individuals, specifically people in your union? Comprehensive disclosure–I am not affiliated with any caucus. I support the notion of generating factors much better, however. I assume we must function towards earning points improved not only for our users, but also for anyone else. Which is why I assist the New York Wellness Act. If that were in spot, we would not be owning any of these nasty discussions, and the Exec. Board proposals would be moot.
Alas, it really is not in put, and we, the UFT, oppose its progress. Which is disgraceful, and essentially anti-union.
But what about the next agreement? What if Mulgrew comes from Tweed and presents us with a little something? What if it appears worthwhile? What if DC37 can make some stinker of a deal, and we are predicted to take it? (Possibly it would be karma. I necessarily mean, it can be not like we didn’t do the identical to them and everyone else back again in 2014.)
How can we know that what is offered to us is true? We now know we ended up deceived back in 2018. How can we be sure it will not likely happen once more? In point, if leadership refuses to agree to make almost everything clear to us, this falls into the “fool me 2 times” category. Leadership exclusively voted down an Executive Board proposal to make all items transparent to us.
Contact me political, but centered on that, you will find definitely no way to be guaranteed. I cannot feel of any circumstance under which I might vote indeed to a contract without explicit knowledge of what it includes. And presented that that they fooled me the moment, leadership will have a incredibly rough time persuading me any offer they make is authentic, obvious, and incorporates no disagreeable surprises.
If leadership is not comfortable with the truth, deeming it “political,” or whatever, it behooves them to move apart and let anyone else negotiate and existing a contract.
