Worth the Effort
Dear Member,
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It is neither the paint on the wall nor the tiles on the floor that create the hellscape many schools have become. The knots of anxiety that rise within the teacher each morning and the sense of uncertainty that goes with it remain the consequences of systemic administrative impulses and hastily thought-out imaginings. In the linear pursuit of their mission, teacher rights and job satisfaction are usually treated as inconveniences. Our Union and Chapters are then left to work tirelessly to re-affirm those hard-fought rights.
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Acutely aware that the task of asserting your contractual rights and improving working conditions do not run on mere prayers and hope, we set forth a vision, firm commitment, creative mechanisms, and a healthy dose of persistence to improve our lot.
And it has been worth our collective effort!
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From a perfect record of favorable defense at disciplinary hearings in 7yrs, through navigating the CoVid pandemic, to negotiations of our MoA and the latest contract, we have set in place structures that continue to strengthen the Chapter while delivering support and better working conditions.
Behind all these gains is a brilliant team of our colleagues whose collective efforts - along with an unwavering support of UFT hierarchy – power our progress. They do not see the work as vanity ventures that demand interest only in election seasons nor do they embrace their responsibilities on casual considerations. The gains from the selfless time they put in after work, on weekends, and holidays, have been worth the while. The opinions, advice, critiques, and confidentiality they have been generous with have been worth the while. To them, and you for your strengthening engagement in Chapter activities and growing solidarity, I say congratulations.
Yet, even as the knots of anxiety have faded for some and disappeared for most, the specter of decline is always lurking - seeking to be let back in.
So the vision for the future: preserving our gains, remote work from home, eased IEP management, extension of Daytime S- rating to Per-session etc. would further the HI experience
Yes, our growing collective sense of assurance and job satisfaction are worth the efforts that make them so.
I am asking for your support & your vote!
Emmanuel Duruaku (Chapter Leader – Homebound)