UFT Delegates Rebuff Bid to Back Thompson

JAMES ETERNO: UFT links pay talks to mayoral race. A resolution calling on the United Federation of Teachers to support William C. Thompson Jr. for Mayor was shot down by its leadership at the Oct. 14 delegates’ assembly, making any chance of an endorsement remote by the largest and arguably most-influential municipal union.

Pragmatic Case Against

Jonathan Halabi, a chapter leader from The Bronx, introduced the resolution at the meeting, the last one for the UFT before the Nov. 3 general election. The UFT’s ongoing contract negotiations with the city are thought to be the major factor in its neutrality.

UFT Political Action Director Paul Egan reportedly argued against the endorsement because of the talks while citing Mr. Thompson’s soft poll numbers and his inability to attract all of the city’s labor unions to his cause.

Mr. Thompson has been endorsed by District Council 37, Transport Workers Union Local 100 and the Uniformed Firefighters Association, among others, but Mr. Bloomberg enjoys the support of all the police unions, Teamsters Local 237, the Uniformed Sanitationmen’s Association and numerous private-sector unions.

Mr. Egan also contended that the contract talks with the city would grind to a halt if the UFT backed Mr. Thompson, according to blog reports from the meeting by dissident James Eterno, who is running against President Michael Mulgrew in next year’s leadership elections on the Independent Community of Educators-Teachers for a Just Contract ticket.

A subsequent motion by Staff Director Leroy Barr proposed to postpone discussion on an endorsement indefinitely was approved by the delegates. Mr. Barr told members that the matter could be taken up in an emergency meeting in the next two or three weeks, if the union decided to endorse a candidate.

The UFT declined to officially comment on the resolution or any goingson at the delegates’ assembly. Its contract with the city officially expires this week.