I know, I know, why do I watch it.
Today on Morning Joe teacher unions came up when they had the Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez on. They had him on to talk about the new overtime rules that would benefit millions but hey why talk about that when you can bash teacher unions.
Joe's point was why should teachers be forced to join the union, to which the Labor secretary should have replied that nobody is forced to be a teacher but he didn't, he instead talked about all the benefits of collective bargaining of which there is many.
Joe immediately pivoted to but what about all the causes that teacher unions support that have nothing to do with education, why should teachers be forced to support them too.
Um, what non education causes, are teacher unions out there fighting for or against? Is it abortion or marriage equality or equal pay? Sure they might overwhelmingly support democratic politicians who support what I would call the affirmative of those issues but guess what those are the politician that support education too.
Instead of just making shit up I wish he would just say, I don't like teacher unions, heck I don't like unions in general. I don't think he could use facts to justify his position, but when does he ever, but at least at would be honest.
To check out the piece, click the link: http://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/labor-secretary-pushes-back-on-union-dues-474162755579
Today on Morning Joe teacher unions came up when they had the Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez on. They had him on to talk about the new overtime rules that would benefit millions but hey why talk about that when you can bash teacher unions.
Joe's point was why should teachers be forced to join the union, to which the Labor secretary should have replied that nobody is forced to be a teacher but he didn't, he instead talked about all the benefits of collective bargaining of which there is many.
Joe immediately pivoted to but what about all the causes that teacher unions support that have nothing to do with education, why should teachers be forced to support them too.
Um, what non education causes, are teacher unions out there fighting for or against? Is it abortion or marriage equality or equal pay? Sure they might overwhelmingly support democratic politicians who support what I would call the affirmative of those issues but guess what those are the politician that support education too.
Instead of just making shit up I wish he would just say, I don't like teacher unions, heck I don't like unions in general. I don't think he could use facts to justify his position, but when does he ever, but at least at would be honest.
To check out the piece, click the link: http://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/labor-secretary-pushes-back-on-union-dues-474162755579
Yeah, they did change the subject and go after Unions. When Scott was elected governor is when I really noticed this anti-worker mentality so close to home that it was effecting my career. This is the only reason I joined DTU after 25 years of scoffing at DTU's effectiveness. It wasn't long after that when I did lean on them for representation, something I thought I would never need (it was a First Coast horror story).
ReplyDeleteMy story had a happy ending, so I hold no malice toward DTU, but I did notice something during that time. With over 100 staff, a typical school based DTU meeting would only be about a dozen people who had personal issues with administration. This was before Brennen, after Brennen it was a larger unified cry. But, when things where good, the Union was not strong in the building, the membership and leadership was not involved in the larger collective issues, like fighting the new evaluation system, lost time to testing, lost wages to Gov Scott, etc, etc. Our Unions, all of them (not just DTU) ,need to be more visible in the public arena, and teachers need to be of one mind on these larger issues. Right now we do not have that, and the politicians are have their way with us.
Dtu is worthless.
ReplyDeleteIn it's current decimated state....yes it is. It will only be as strong as it's members make it.The dozen or so malcontents I saw at the school based meetings could change nothing. DTU needs to go out, recruit and unite good, happy teachers and engage the larger issues at hand. Things in this county like CAST, Charter Schools, tenure, retirement, etc. If all teachers became vocal about things that mattered to all of us (not just their personal 'shit shows'), then our union would be a force to reckon with.
DeleteI can't complain until I try to be the change. DTU will need radical new leadership. My time has not yet come, but there is someone out there ready for the task.