'No-Work' Resolution

UFT Pledges Real Contract Deadline

By HOWARD MEGDAL

The United Federation of Teachers approved a "no-contract, no-work" resolution to pressure the city into a new contract by the end of the UFT's current deal on Oct. 12, 2007 during a recent delegates meeting.

RANDI WEINGARTEN: 'Puts teeth in our resolve.'

"This resolution says that we are serious about embarking on a new kind of strategy, but only if the members are willing to embark on it as well," UFT president Randi Weingarten said at the meeting.

Waited 29 Months

The move is designed to avoid a pact delay along the lines of the most recent negotiations, which saw the city's Teachers work under an expired contract from June 2003 to November 2005.

While the UFT has not struck since 1975, Ms. Weingarten urged members to consider backing up the strong feelings they have regarding many issues with concrete action.

"If there are real legitimate issues that we say no about, then we have to be willing to back up that resolve," she said. "That is what strikes are about. That is what this conversation is about."

Flexibility Important

But New York University labor professor Sam Estreicher warned against the UFT making pronouncements it might regret.

"I don't think it's smart to be rigid about anything," Mr. Estreicher said in a Feb. 22 phone interview. "It's always good to have a little flexibility. Teachers can always do what they need to. Of course, it might promote people to start seriously bargaining."

Mr. Estreicher was not surprised at the tone from the "always rhetorically militant" union, but he did not understand the urgency to reach an accord.

"The truth is, these raises will always be retroactive," he said. "So what's the rush?"

Mr. Estreicher lamented the lack of options available to city unions due to the Taylor Law, which prohibits strikes by public employees and doles out lavish penalties against those who do.

"I'm not sure anybody will be changing the Taylor Law anytime soon," he said. "We need to do something so there's a way of getting past impasse without putting the city, or unions, at mercy."