NTU Update - May 5

Colleagues,

1) Statement from President Abeigon regarding contract ratification - Recent headlines document that our struggle to continue to survive is real. Despite a major victory in its defense, our well-funded enemies will not stop their attacks on Seniority (LIFO: Last In First Out), nor will they stop attacking Tenure.  

On May 11th, from 7am-7pm, we can use this contract ratification vote to send a message that we believe in the importance of Collective Bargaining Agreements, that we care about students, that we care about our benefits, and that we care about Contracts and the promises and protections these provide. Union Democracy is not an "app"; it’s not a "LIKE" on Facebook. It's a VOTE, and the exercise of the Democracy is a coveted thing. EVERY WEEK the NTU gets calls from Charter School teachers asking for help and wishing they had a contract.  

You have been accused of being too apathetic, that you will not care enough about the contract to bother to vote for the ratification. Yes..even a vote for a contract is an act of union activism! Let's do everything we can, starting today, to get 100% turnout for the contract ratification on Thursday, May 11th from 7AM -7PM at the NTU, 1019 Broad Street, parking in the back.  

REMEMBER...contract ratification is determined by % of VOTES CAST by current, full union members. If only THREE members show up to vote, and 2 vote NO...the contract is rejected, and we go back to square one. If that happens, there will be no retro, no step advancement and we will go into another summer without a contract.

I, the negotiations team, and your NTU Executive Board believe strongly in this contract. We understand that in ANY contract, neither side can be 100% satisfied and even for our side, we acknowledge that we did not get all that we fought for. However, THIS contract brings us closer than ever before, and gives us a clear target to prepare for our next negotiations, in a year and a half.  

IN THE MEANTIME, LET'S GET OUR CONTRACT NOW and do everything we can to get to the NTU on THURSDAY MAY 11th, from 7am-7pm. CARPOOL, UBERSHARE, COVER A CLASS, WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET OUT THE VOTE!

2.     Member Recognition Awards – At our Hall of Fame dinner on May 17, 2017, the NTU will be recognizing several members who were chosen by their peers as deserving. The awardees are: