Although it can be impossible to keep up with everything that's been going on in public education, and in our local union, now that we've launched our digest emails, I'm going to try to maintain a regular blog with my takes on things as they unfold. Every time I post,  a preview and link should appear in your weekly email digest.

Here's blog post #1...

State and Local Elections and the Pursuit of Solidarity

At last week's NYSUT RA (Representative Assembly), in what was probably the most controversial election in NYSUT's history,  delegates elected a new leadership. The election comes at the tail end of an ideological rift that's lasted years, with competing visions for the future of NYSUT.

NYSUT's recent election reminds me that with each challenge comes an opportunity. Within our unions, although we can disagree at times, we must seek unity of purpose and aim to look objectively beyond ourselves, considering the needs of the Union as a whole, and our brothers and sisters as individuals with unique sets of needs and wants.

To me, this is among the hardest steps in achieving solidarity (yes, I use the word achieve here in the same sense one would use it to describe nirvana or any other Zen-like state). It means getting beyond talking about unionism in a purely academic sense, and internalizing it in a more spiritual sense. Solidarity is our collective nirvana. It reflects a level of awareness that spurs one to action. For example, after learning that unions are responsible for ending child labor, gaining FMLA rights, workplace safety rights, etc., we collectively respond not with a sentiment of guilt or shame, but with a simple,

"Great. How can we protect these rights and help those less fortunate than ourselves achieve them too?"

or

"How can being part of something bigger than myself help me become a part of meaningful change both within my own union and in a broader sense?"

At a more local level, the same solidarity might inspire us to ask,

"How can my involvement in the union help us achieve favorable outcomes for myself and my colleagues when issues arise?"

As we approach certification of our own elections, and enter another three-year term together, one of my greatest hopes for us as an organization is that we continue to find ways to move towards solidarity. It does not happen overnight, but I believe it can happen. As one of the great leaders in the labor movement, Cesar Chavez, once said,

"The fight is never about lettuce or grapes. It is always about people."

Today's battles are on testing and standards. Tomorrow's on the tax cap and state aid. Next week's on retirement or seniority. Remember that there is more that unites us than keeps us apart, and never doubt in the ability of well-informed and organized people to stand up against forces that seem larger than ourselves and change the world.

In solidarity-

Richard