UFT Election Committee Meeting, Dec. 14, 2009

Reported by Ellen Fox, ICE/TJC Rep on the committee:

The UFT Election Committee met on Monday, December 14. Here are the salient details of that meeting.

1. Virtually nothing significant has changed since the last election cycle. Literature from the 2007 elections was distributed as examples of the way things would proceed this time around. Most importantly, it appears that the number of divisional exec. bd. members will remain the same: they're still counting on 6 HS members, 5 MS members, etc.

2. Here is a rundown of the important dates and deadlines involved:

a. January 4, 2010 -- The Election Committee will meet again to finalize details for the election.The finalized details will be turned over to the Executive Board that same evening for approval.

b. Shortly thereafter, petitions will be available.

c. January 11 and February 4 -- Notice of the election will appear in the New York Teacher.

d. FEBRUARY 11, 2010 (THURSDAY). 5:00 pm -- DEADLINE FOR RETURNING SIGNED PETITIONS.

e. FEBRUARY 22, 2010 (MONDAY) -- DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING CAMERA-READY COPY

FOR CAUCUS ADS/STATEMENTS IN THE NEW YORK TEACHER.

f. March 4 and March 18 editions of the New York Teacher will carry the caucus ads as part of special election editions.

g. March 12, 2010 -- Ballots will be mailed to members.

h. APRIL 6, 2010 (TUESDAY), 5:00 pm -- DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF BALLOTS BY AAA.

i. April 7, 2010 -- Ballots counted by AAA.

3. Other important issues that came up:

a. Number of signatures needed for nomination:

i. All Officer positions -- 900

ii. All other in-service positions (Exec. Bd., Delegates) -- 100

iii. Retiree delegates (should we choose to run any) -- 25

b. Who can sign which positions:

i. ANY UFT MEMBER can sign for Officer positions and for Exec. Bd. at Large

ii. ONLY TEACHERS IN A PARTICULAR DIVISION can sign for candidates in that division's Exec. Bd. So only High School TEACHERS can sign for High School Exec. Bd. candidates; only Elementary School

TEACHERS can sign for Elementary Exec. Bd. candidates, etc.

iii. ONLY FUNCTIONALS (paras, secretaries, counselors, etc.) can sign petitions for candidates for the

Functional Executive Board.

iv. Only RETIREES can sign petitions for candidates as Retiree Delegates.

c. Once again, Chapter Leader lists will be made available to requesting parties for $10.