The UFT is Correct to Endorse deBlasio

   This may surprise many of you but I believe Mulgrew is correct in leaning towards an early endorsement of deBlasio. It's a situation we have been backed into because of Randi Weingarten's early endorsement of Hillary, which precipitated the loss of Bernie in the primary and which catapulted Trump into the White House. We now have a Republican President elect, Republican controlled House of Representatives, Senate, Charter school Education Secretary, anti -worker Secretary of Labor and anti-union tie breaking Supreme Court judge to look forward to. People don't seem to understand what's coming down the pike - the severe curtailment of public education, massive layoffs of public sector employees through privatization, as well the end of unions.

     Some may say we should play a wait and see because he may be indicted. DeBlasio will not be indicted - he was just fined. A carefully orchestrated fine in order to get him flustered and combative in front of the media. Get him to do or say something which will call his support into question. Have things been great for teachers under deBlasio? No, they have been much worse than when Bloomberg was mayor. Actually, you wouldn't know Bloomberg left. All the same people ruining the schools, massive gotcha schemes, no discipline, inexperienced teachers in the classroom and experienced ones treated like pariahs. Lets not forget the "raise" and health care costs. All of this because Mulgrew saw a sympathetic face in Bill and Carmen. Bill's job was to ask for the moon and Mike's job was to negotiate it back down to Earth. Mike was in a enviable position of strength for those negotiations, but he just handed Bill everything that he asked for. Do I blame deBlasio for that? No, that falls on Mulgrew.

    Many are saying, myself included, that we should get a consensus and negotiate terms for this early endorsement. I agree, but this negotiation is from a position of weakness. Bill doesn't need our endorsement - most of  us (75%) live outside the city. Now when we're backed into a corner, the UFT will attempt negotiations? It's worth a try.

  The real problem with the AFT/UFT is with Randi Weingarten and her dictatorial leadership style, of which Michael Mulgrew is part and parcel of.