Thread by @MOREcaucusUFT

Live Tweet of @UFT Town Hall w/ President Michael Mulgrew 🎯

@UFT President Michael Mulgrew (MM) welcomes town hall participants. Today's meeting will focus on summer updates.

MM thanks activists, organizers, parents, and education advocates who have been fighting the budget cuts this summer.

@NYCMayor has historical amount of funding but is not using it and is instead cutting it. Dives into history of Fair Student Formula - FSF was developed during the Bloomberg years - changes were made during DeBlasio years

@NYCMayor We do not know where school cuts are going to land. MM in conversations with federal elected leaders who fought for the billions of dollars for school funding that the mayor is not using.

@NYCMayor MM testified in front of City Council the morning fighting for the restoration of the budget cuts. @bradlander also testified that IS funding available and billions of unspent federal funds

@NYCMayor @bradlander #ourkidsneed Small Class Size bill update - thanks members and families for pressuring @GovKathyHochul to sign the Class Size bill. @LiuNewYork has been a huge advocate for this bill. Hopeful the Class Size bill will be signed

@NYCMayor @bradlander @GovKathyHochul @LiuNewYork Contract Update: Contract expires in Sept. We have a 500 member negotiations committee. There has been no movement from the city b/c our contract is still in effect. Contract campaign is going to get louder and louder.

@NYCMayor @bradlander @GovKathyHochul @LiuNewYork Contract Update: addresses national teacher shortage, cost of living, working conditions

DOE Update - excessing numbers close to 700 members. The budget cut fight is integral to this issue

Acknowledges heroic work of #UFT members and the national attacks on teachers, public education, and unions.

MM - in other states there is a big push towards privatization, vouchers, anti-teacher legislation.

For NYC it is US, the union, who protects the school system and the students and we must continue to fight.

Covid-19 in Schools Update: DOE is following CDC guidelines. No surveillance testing. Every member of a school community will get 4 tests kits/month. Anyone who tests + will quarantine for 5 days.

Days will not be taken out of CAR. After 5 days you will have to supply medical documentation. The daily health screening is no longer in place.

Covid-19 exemptions - medical and religious exemptions will continue to be accepted/extended. If you had an accommodation you will have to supply up to date paperwork.

Covid-19 - DOH has told MLC that they are not removing the vaccine mandate. UFT is in convo with DOE about vaccine mandate.

Retirements: slow steady stream of retirements every month.

Hiring is low: 1,100 new teachers this year. Typically is 2000

New initiative of the UFT - Chapter Leader Hub. Now creating an account for every member of the union. This initiative is being designed by members and may be rolled out by Nov. This will be a new way to communicate with members about their needs.

Digital Classrooms - UFT is in convo with DOE about digital classrooms for students in quarantine with Covid-19. Members will be compensated for setting up digital classroom

Close contacts do not quarantine

9/10 Labor Day Parade - we will be marching last w/CSA. Food and party will be before the parade. Families are welcome!

"This is a tough job but a great profession" there are a lot of loud voices on both sides of the debate saying that we need to raise the level of pay to compete with those in other countries

New DOE Superintendent Policy - superintendents are in charge and have been told to support and hold principals accountable.

As a large teachers union we have the power to help determine what public education looks like going forward

When we were hit with covid-19 it was #UFT members who figured out what to do for our students

Member Question: w/ teacher shortages can a database be created to fill gaps with excessed teachers?
MM: DOE can't tell you what the exact number of educators they need.

Member Question: first time able to get through the question screeners to speak with MM. Are we still getting Teachers Choice and how much?
MM: Yes, same amounts as every year for each title.

Member Question: what happened to long term subs who still have not found a full-time position? Are there other full-time positions?
MM: the principal is in charge of hiring. We are going to try to address this issue with the DOE

Member Question: dyslexia training - where is it going? The 1hr training was not effective.
MM: We put forth that our literacy coaches would be in the experts on this & would support teachers. DOE said they would not do this plan & manage it. The DOE wants it to be on the school

Member Q: can we still wear masks at school?
MM: Yes! Masks are optional

Member Q: HR Connect Q - often on hold for 3 hrs. Can't get through to a person. What is UFT doing to fix hold times? Can this be in contract negotiations?
MM: We told the DOE it is a complete an utter failure. We will continue to push to fix this so that members can get info

Member Q: PTCs will they be remote? Can they be remote forever and ever?
MM: Yes. We are going to try to get them to be forever and ever because there has been increased family attendance in PTCs bc they are remote

Member Q: Booster Shots - will they be mandated?
MM: No, not at this time. The DOH and CDC has not said anything on mandates for boosters

Member Q: If people were on medical or religious exemptions where are they going to report this year?
MM: At this point it will be the same situation as last year. Some will be in buildings and some will be at home. We will get the details out.

Member Q: in SI our borough office houses students. Any guidance on where members with accommodations will be going to?
MM: We are figuring it out.

Member Q: Contract Negotiations - our contract is up on 9/13. Will this be a situation with retro again?
MM: We are one of the few unions left that still have a contract. There have been no negotiations w/ any union. The mayor keeps telling everyone that the city is broke.

Follow Up: MM says we are not swapping time for money. We need a raise.

Member Q: will there be resources shared for supporting students who are here seeking asylum?
MM: UFT is waiting for an answer from the DOE. We will need serious services for this. We need a plan from the DOE and will get that out.

Member Q: Is there anything in place if schools have a breakout of MPX?
MM: What our doctors have told us is that schools are not high liability/risk place for MPX. But if there is an outbreak we would work w the DOH quickly. But I have learned to say that nothing is definitive.

Member Q: Will members be paid to set up virtual classrooms and will snow days be remote days?
MM: Yes. Just got an update that teachers will be paid to set up virtual classrooms. Yes, snow days will be remote IF we get one.

Member Q: Why nurses can't retired come back and work part time? There is a nursing shortage.
MM: This is something we need to revisit with the city. We still don't have a nurse in every building. Even when there wasn't a shortage. We will not stop on this.

Member Q: Vacation Days - will those staff members who only received 3. When will I get the 4?
MM: That has already been worked out. Please contact Mike Sill

Member Q: School Psychologist - we have had IEPs meeting virtually. Will this be the same for this year?
MM: IEP meetings worked better virtually. Still waiting on confirmation on this - we are in discussions. We will send the information out once it is confirmed.

Member Q: How an excessed teachers who have not found a placement find one since Open Market is closed?
MM: We are looking to extend Open Market again.
Sill: For members who are in excess OM is open it is now called Excessed Staff Selection Site.

MM: we do help excessed people get placed in their districts - reach out to your Borough Office and District Rep

Member Q: Covid Related - we want parents to come in. Do parents still need to be vaccinated to come into the building?
MM: I believe that has been lifted bc the health screening has been lifted but let me confirm.

Update to Question Above - UFT Staff Member Response: DOE is going to require parents to show vaccination status but parents do not have to fill out screener. We are working through this issue. Once we have the answer we will share it.

Member Q: Clarification on budget process
MM: The next step is the appellate courts to review this court case

Member Q: Will the DOE still implement the DESSA and will there be more time for teachers to do the DESSA?
MM: Told DOE that the DESSA is a waste of time. Asked why are we doing it? DOE: we signed a contract ($18 million!)

Member Q: Potential for buyout for senior staff members?
MM: This has to come from the state - due to teacher shortage I don't see this happening. Things could change due to citywide teacher shortage

Member Q: No new salary schedule - when will we get an updated schedule?
MM: That was the last raise as part of this contract which expires 9/13

Member Q: School safety - will there be new door systems for DOE schools with buzzers or locking the front door?
MM: 50 schools will be getting new doors w/ buzzers but 50 schools is a drop in the bucket. This should be charged to the city safety budget NOT from education budget

Member Q: If the numbers of students increase will that be an argument for restoring the budget?
MM: The issue is the DOE used a strict interpretation of FSF from the Bloomberg years. The state does not fund NYC per pupil which was up by an additional billion.

MM continued: The question is WHERE IS THE MONEY?! Less money to schools more money to central DOE. MM references issue of mayoral control.

President Mulgrew: closing out. Encourages #UFT to rest and enjoy summer because everyday during the school year we are there for there for the students and MM is proud of members work. Encourages members to support new teachers during what may be another difficult year. "

MM: "Stand up and be there for each other." Thank you all for what you have been doing the last couple of years. Just always remember that we are here to support each other and we have dedicated our lives to helping children. Updates will be sent out.

Thanks from us at #MOREUFT for following along! Solidarity. 🎯