Union Trouble: NYC Teachers Clash w. Cops Over Planned Brutality March
Keep in mind the source: Murdoch's NY Post. ( Notoriously anti-union and anti-teacher.) But the row exposes real rifts between the two camps.
>>>>In an open letter to The Post, the spitting-mad boss of the Patrolmens Benevolent Association ripped his teachers-union counterpart Saturday for the disgraceful decision to co-sponsor the Rev. Al Sharptons anti-police rally next week.
PBA President Pat Lynch fired both barrels at United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew, saying, It is absolutely ridiculous that [Mulgrew] . . . would waste his members dues to get involved with a march that has nothing to do with teachers or his union.
Mulgrew knows that the UFT is under siege from all sides, and this is purely an attempt to distract attention from that mounting criticism, Lynch wrote, referring to the unions chronic battles over teacher tenure and charter schools as well as the substandard contract Mulgrew recently negotiated for his membership.
How would he like it if police officers lined up with the activists who oppose his efforts to shield bad teachers and undermine effective charter schools? Lynch fumed.
In a series of personal jabs, Lynch suggested Mulgrew was more concerned with continuing to curry favor with politicians and Al Sharpton than in helping his 200,000 union members or the citys 1.1 million schoolchildren.
Labor insiders were shocked by the escalating battle between the two political heavyweights who head two of the citys most powerful unions.
Its just not right, said Bill Pelletier, former VP for the Transit Workers Union. For the leaders to get involved with this is out of character.
He said such disputes are usually resolved privately at the Central Labor Council.
IT IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS THAT [MULGREW] . . . WOULD WASTE HIS MEMBERS DUES TO GET INVOLVED WITH A MARCH THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH TEACHERS OR HIS UNION.
- Pat Lynch
The Queens-born L
the rest: http://nypost.com/2014/08/17/teachers-union-joining-police-protest-is-graceful-pba-head/