NYC School Workers Solidarity Campaign Rejects UFT President Michael Mulgrew’s Deal with Mayor Bill de Blasio

The union leadership of the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) struck a deal on Tuesday with NYC city officials to postpone reopening by 10 days. This deal comes as the UFT Delegate Assembly was planning to vote for strike authorization against school reopening. Below we republish a press release from the NYC School Workers Solidarity Campaign on this decision.

NYC Teachers Must Strike Against Reopening

Mayor de Blasio’s shoddy reopening plan for NYC schools --- an attempt to reboot the economy at the expense of working-class families --- reflects a total lack of concern for safety that will risk the lives of school staff, children, and the families of anyone who enters a school building. City teachers are discussing and planning for a strike to force remote instruction.

PSC-CUNY President Finally Says the S Word

Will CUNY workers finally go on strike? With public school teachers in New York City threatening a strike of their own, PSC leadership implied last week that a possible strike is on the table. With 3,000 part time workers laid off this summer and more cuts expected, and racial capitalism ravaging the CUNY community under the pandemic, a strike is long overdue.

Tenants’ Unions Escalate Protests as NY Extends Eviction Moratorium

Tenants' unions across Brooklyn banded together for three days to fight for the cancellation of rent and an eviction moratorium. In a small win, New York City has postponed legal eviction until September. The power of the people and direct action, yet again, has succeeded in pushing back against the landlord class. 

Cops and Their Supporters Unite to Attack BLM Counter-protesters

A growing rightward reaction to BLM protests has sparked “Blue Lives Matter” protests attracting cops and right-wing supporters. Counter-protesters have been met with violence from both the NYPD and the pro-police demonstrators. These confrontations represent a re-escalation of repression by Democratic politicians to both sway public opinion against the protests and try to regain some of the legitimacy lost by the police since the movement against racism and police brutality began.

A Grim New Milestone: More than 10,000 Protesters Arrested Across the U.S.

The protests against police terror are being brutally repressed...by the police.

The Protesters Are Right: de Blasio Should Resign

De Blasio has used his power to order violence against protesters --- and then claims he’s seen none of it despite the preponderance of evidence. He is not only complicit but directly responsible for the unconscionable cop violence in New York City.

NYC Coronavirus Response Exploits Teachers and Leaves Kids Out in the Cold

Governor Cuomo cancelled spring break for NYC teachers and students on Tuesday in order, he says, to distract students and keep them indoors to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. Mayor De Blasio announced last night that teachers and students will be expected to work during Passover and on the Easter holidays. Yet low-income students continue to languish at home without technology even as the city pours money into Apple’s pockets, buying hundreds of thousands of iPads with city money. And the United Federation of Teachers’ response is almost complete silence and capitulation.

Luxury Construction is Essential…for the Capitalist State

Luxury construction projects in New York are still in full swing despite Governor Cuomo’s order to halt all “nonessential” construction. Workers should not have to choose between losing income and unsafe working conditions. All luxury construction must be halted immediately and the construction of hospitals and other necessary facilities needed to fight the coronavirus must be prioritized instead.