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In this issue: House Meeting Report, Judge Rules on Vice President Case - Sanctions CTU Attorneys, Coercion Continues at AFT Convention Delegates Win First Round in Assuring Rights By a two-thirds vote of delegates present, delegates banded together to enforce their rights under the CTU Constitution, which defines the House of Delegates as the final governing body of the union. President Marilyn Stewart was caught off-guard when a motion to Suspend the Rules for a Special Order to take up the issue of a procedure to assure the veracity of vote counting. The motion was made immediately after the meeting was called to order. Stewart was prevented from referring the motion to committee when the maker of the motion, delegate Eric Skilander, challenged the ruling of the chair. The challenge was upheld by a vote of the delegates, followed by a strong affirmative vote by a House of Delegates determined to re-assert their role in the governance of the union. The motion, which will now become part of the Rules of the House of Delegates, requires that when a division on a vote is called
For a full copy of the new procedure, click here: http://csdu.org/popups/documents/VotingProcedureforaDivisionoftheHouse.pdf
Non-Agenda Items Called Out of Order by Stewart As the meeting continued, several delegates attempted to make motions under their constitutional prerogative of bringing pertinent items to the floor. At each instance they were immediately slammed Out of Order by Stewart who had the microphones shut down. Delegates made futile attempts to shout challenges to the Ruling of the Chair and Points of Order, which were repeatedly ignored. Stewart pronounced attempts to make motions by the delegates as a waste of time, stating that arguments on the motion to assure accurate vote counts had "wasted a half hour of time". Many delegates vowed to continue the fight to assert the intent of the CTU Constitution at the October House meeting and throughout the coming year. "We will not give up this fight," said Jack Moran, delegate from Beaubien School. It is our responsibility to see that this takes place. As representatives of their members, the delegates are determined to see adherence to their role in the CTU governing process and an end to this increasingly more totalitarian administration."
Judge Orders Temporary Reinstatement of Vice President, Agrees to Sanction of CTU Attorneys In circuit Court on last week, Judge Dorothy Kinnaird brought the political expulsion of the CTU Vice President Ted Dallas to a temporary halt pending the outcome of his appeal process. Discovery rights were also granted to the attorney for the vice president. Discovery rights allow the attorney to issue subpoenas for expense records of the other officers and employees of the CTU, which will establish what the actual policies were at the CTU during the period for which Dallas has been accused of wrongdoing. Expense receipts of other officers and employees will establish standards for future court proceedings. On Monday, attorneys for CTU employees Nick Cannella, Rosemary Genova, and the CTU appeared before Judge Kinnaird in an attempt to block subpoenas issued on any records pertaining to them. Their requests were denied. At a hearing earlier in the week, Judge Kinnaird agreed to issue sanctions against the law firm of Poltrock and Poltrock for lying to the judge. She had been assured that Dallas would not be removed from either his membership, or his elected officer position until all appeals had been exhausted. In an attempt to ward off these sanctions the CTU hurriedly reinstated Dallas to his positions and allowed him to return to his office from which he had been locked out. On Thursday of this past week, the judge ordered the attorneys involved in the perjury to submit briefs on the sanction issue at the next hearing in November. Perjury in a court of law is a serious offense. Such an ethical breach puts the entire court system in jeopardy. Courts must be able to rely on the veracity of both the attorneys and their clients. Parties return to court on Thursday, November 6th for status hearings on the case, which will include arguments on the legality of the action of CTU Trustees which removed him from his elected Vice President position, as well as on the sanctions for perjury against Poltrock and Poltrock and the other law firms representing the CTU. It is estimated that the CTU has paid out at least $250,000 of member dues for legal fees in this case up to this point in time.
AFT Convention Report: Unconstitutional Dues Increase Coercion Continued During Convention Election A resolution submitted to AFT Delegates by the AFT Executive Council, of which Marilyn Stewart is a member, at the July convention mandates the addition of a "pass-through" of another $20 to CTU union member dues. The AFT Constitution allows such a pass-through if voted by the delegates. The CTU Constitution, however, only allows a pass-through amount of $12. This pass-through was endorsed by Stewart, who voted in its favor both at the Council and the convention. Biennial elections were held to elect executive council members, during which Stewart was re-elected. CTU delegates to the convention were called to a special conference room to cast their ballots. Members who did not wish to vote for Stewart were watched while casting their ballots and coerced by "Stewart Police". If ballots were cast "incorrectly", delegates were called to the front of the hall and told to change their vote. Stewart announced to the delegation, "This is a private club. You're here as my guest. If you don't like it, you can leave." Several delegates have sent a protest letter on the procedure to AFT President Randi Weingarten.
HOW YOU CAN HELP the CTU RETURN TO ITS DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES: Sign up a friend, forward this email, join the campaign for an honest and democratic CTU, or contact us to buy a $5 raffle ticket for a 5 day trip with a $400 airline voucher during a CPS break of your choice to Las Vegas, or South Beach: ctucoalition@comcast.net. For the latest updates, go to http://www.csdu.org |
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