Neither Retired Fish nor Retired Fowl

What exactly IS the Retired Teachers Chapter (UFT)?

Let’s start here: I joined the RTC the day I retired. I think it is good to join – I encourage others to. I’m not asking my questions to undermine the existence of the RTC. Join the RTC when you are eligible – it’s the right thing to do, and it’ll be good for you.

But what is it? It’s certainly part of the United Federation of Teachers – but it’s different from the other parts.

The UFT is a union, with several chapters. And you can see that, right in the name of RTC – Retired Teachers Chapter – the word “Chapter” – but is it actually a chapter?

Some things the RTC does, some of the ways it is structured, would make you think yes.

• UFT members pay dues, from every chapter, including the RTC.
• UFT chapters have a Chapter Leader, including the RTC.
• UFT functional chapters have exec boards, including the RTC.
• UFT chapters vote in general UFT elections, including the RTC.

Here’s an odd note though: the RTC votes are “capped” – there is a maximum number of retiree votes allowed, and if the total goes over that cap, then each vote still counts, but for a part of a vote. I think in 2022 the cap was 23,500 and each retiree vote counted for 0.86 of a vote.

But there are ways the RTC looks different from all the other chapters:

• The UFT is a union. It is the sole bargaining agent for each of its chapters. Except the RTC.
• Each chapter has a contract (or a section of a contract). Except the RTC.
• In each chapter, when the contract is violated, the member files a grievance. Except the RTC.
• All of our chapters have regularly scheduled consultation with the principal (or administrator in charge) – except the RTC.

Here’s an exception – the DoE was late paying me my termination pay (CAR days, vacation days) – so me, retiree, filed a grievance for the interest owed – but that was based on a violation of the Teachers Contract at my transition to my new status. In fact, and this is interesting, my ability to file that grievance had nothing to do with being in the RTC. If I never joined the RTC (but I did, and you should), still, if I never joined, I still could have filed that grievance.

So Which Is It?

Is the RTC really a UFT chapter? Or is it something else? I included one iffy argument on each side. Let’s dig in to each a little more.

I wrote that the UFT does not bargain for the RTC. But everyone knows that Mulgrew has been bargaining our retirees’ health care, right? Actually, no. I normally don’t advocate paying attention to the details of what he says (partly because when he speaks he generally doesn’t use sentences, transcribe him once, and you’ll see. Painful.) – but you can look in writing. The MLC, not the UFT, is in charge of the health care negotiations – and that’s not really a union negotiation at all. Many of the people they are negotiating for (or against, if you think the move to privatize Medicare is a bad move) are not members of any union. The UFT has an RTC – most city unions do not have the equivalent. And the MLC is negotiating for (or against) managerial retirees, who were never in a union. This MLC Medicare thing is a special case.

I pointed out that retirees vote in UFT elections. Which is true. But the conduct of a union election is not core to the mission of a union, the way filing grievances and negotiating contracts is. In fact, retirees voting in the UFT is a result of them being a loyal bloc of votes for the leadership – Unity which is willing to cheat to win – is certainly willing to make some unusual rules that are not cheating to hold onto power – and letting the retirees vote was such a move. Of course, if Unity starts losing the retiree vote, or even if it gets really close, they could amend the constitution and remove retirees’ right to vote.

Membership

In schools and in the regular chapters, when you got your job/assignment, years ago, you joined the union (or could pay an “agency fee” which was essentially a penalty for not joining the union – but in fact was the amount of service the free-loader was getting). Today, post-Janus, it is easier not to join, but we are doing a good job of getting most people into the Union.

It never worked that way among retirees. You get pitched the RTC at retirement, and at that point you join, or you don’t. That simple. Janus did not change things in the RTC (except retirees working hard while the case was being heard to try to get a better outcome. Alas.)

So, What Is It?

The United Federation of Teachers Retired Teachers Chapter is an “auxiliary organization” – which organizes people who are not part of a bargaining unit, but previously were. It collects dues, supports the UFT’s political projects, provides services – but it is not a chapter. It has no contract. There is no contract enforcement. There is no consultation. There is no bargaining over a contract.

Auxilliaries are good. They enable a union to keep active allies nearby, and informed. In our case, the auxilliary provides those who pay to join some valuable services. But it’s not the same as being in an actual union chapter.

And finally, so what? Not much – just nice to understand what things actually are – especially since RTC has the word chapter, misleadingly, right in the middle of its name.

A Different Auxiliary

not a good song – but hey – Woody Guthrie – and almost on topic