Subscript:...We’ll be reporting the details of the Chicago Teachers Union leadership split for months to come, but the events have posed certain journalistic challenges, including what to call whose which. We’ll begin at the beginning, which is the founding of the "United Progressive Caucus" back in 1970 by merging the pieces of three separate groups within the then militant Chicago Teachers Union. The birth of the UPC gave rise to two decades of serious labor militancy and some of the best contracts a big city union could hope for. Then came what leaves us in now.
Back in 2004, when they were running according to the Karl Rove rulebook against Deborah Lynch, the UPCers tried to deflect attention from the fact that they were part of the Tom Reece regime by calling themselves the "New UPC."
[this is part of a series of reports looking back at the corrupt leadership of Marilyn Stewart during her position as President of the Chicago Teachers Union]
Now that the "New UPC" has basically imploded, the question for editors is what to call each of the fragments so as to maintain some historical accuracy (and perhaps a sense of humor). Should it be the "Newer UPC" (the Ted Dallas faction, since they got the jump on Marilyn Stewart), and the "Newest UPC" (Marilyn’s group)? Which of the newer and newest will take credit for the fact that (a) Marilyn hired a scab — Traci Cobb Evans — to be one of CTU’s top Springfield people. Who paid the lawyers who went to court when Marilyn Stewart’s UPC faction sued the other faction in February trying to take control of the UPC treasury — which we hear is more than six figures. We also hear that the Newer UPC beat back the legal attack by the Newest UPC by simply pointing out that the official chairman and treasurer of what is still legally known as the United Progressive Caucus are Ted Dallas and Linda Porter Milton.
Maybe Marilyn should change the name of her group to the TSM (Terminal Sellout Mumblers) or the DFC (Daley Fan Club) and save us and the courts all this time, expense, and confusion...
In an March 23, 2010 interview on Chicago tonight Union President Marilyn Stewart admits that she gave Chicago Mayor Daley what he wanted: a five contract. Chicago teachers are now in a contested union election for new leadership and the incumbent Stewart is making more promises. Looking back at her past election promises it is easy to see that she says anything to get elected and then gives management whatever they want.
Originally published
http://www.substancenews.net/...
Past links and information on the current state of the Chicago teachers union.
How Not to Run a Union Meeting
Treacherous Times in Chicago
Union Leader Sells out Members
Company Union
Was it stupidity or corruption?
leadership rejected by 2/3 of members in Chicago