SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: Does Unity/UFT Do the Work?

Saturday, March 19, 2022

Does Unity/UFT Do the Work?

 Does Unity/UFT "Do the Work" as they claim to be? You know what? I now have an open mind concerning that statement and willing to give the benefit of the doubt to the UFT that they do the work.

What we need is an example of someone going to the UFT for something as simple as scheduling an
appointment for a pension consultation. I wonder if there are anyone's stories I can use? Hey! How about my story. OK, I convinced myself. 

Back in November I called the UFT to make an appointment for my pension consultation. I placed the call when I got onto the Major Deegan at Yankee Stadium. Immediately I was told that my call was important and that someone would answer it shortly. Bad music was played and I kept on hearing the voice of Él Presidenté'(Is this renaming?) Mike Mulgrew.

My usual route home is north on the Deegan, get on the Cross County going east to the Bronx River north, merge onto the Sprain and then east on I-287 to White Plains.

As I approached the Cross County I was still on hold. Now, I had a decision to make. Continue on my normal route and risk the call being dropped. There is a dead zone for AT&T right around Jackson Ave on the Sprain. There is also a shaky cell area on the Bronx River around Harney Road in Eastchester. I couldn't risk it. 

So I decided to continue up the Thruway to 287. At this point I was on hold about 30 minutes (traffic up the Deegan in the afternoon means about 30 minutes just to Yonkers). I got on to 287 in Elmsford and just then, someone picked up. I was on hold for about 45 minutes! But nonetheless, Praise be to Moses and Golem!!

Several days later I get this email from Bluna Poderhertz (Is this bad renaming?)regarding my appointment with Chaim Rosenbaum (Renaming?).



Unfortunately, a week or so later I found out I got an after school per session gig and promptly emailed Bluna. 

Bless his hear, but Chaim called me that day at 4:20 wondering where I was. I guess Chaim didn't get the memo. I told him I would call to reschedule, but again had a long time on hold and no one ever go back to me. I should have been more proactive.

With Thanksgiving happening, the holidays coming up, Omicron, me getting COVID, I put it off. I should have reached out myself. Too much mishagas and chazerei happening at the same time. And just the fact that four days a week the earliest I was getting home was 5:30 two days a week, and 6:30 the other two nights.

BUT! I did reach out to the UFT this past Tuesday for a pension consult and was told that in a few days, yes a few days, someone will be contacting me. 

I'm still waiting.


 


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

As a Chapter Leader, I often have to refer UFT members to special reps for specific questions (e.g. about pension, leaves, pay discrepancies etc). This year, it has broken my heart how often my members will come to me 2-3 weeks later and say no one ever got back to them. It's inexcusable.