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Smarmie Doofus

(14,498 posts)
Thu Jan 23, 2014, 12:42 AM Jan 2014

I'm wondering what other union members think of the following arrangement:

>>>>The sister of teachers-union President Michael Mulgrew was wrist-slapped Monday for operating a booming tutoring company that was awarded $40 million in work from the city while she was employed as a public-school teacher.

The overlapping gigs got Kathleen Mulgrew-Daretany a warning letter from the city Conflicts of Interest Board, after it determined that her work for Brienza’s Academic Advantage violated city conflict-of-interest rules.

While Mulgrew-Daretany was technically on an extended unpaid maternity leave from 2001 through 2012, she was still barred as a city employee from working at a firm that conducts business with the city.

Mulgrew-Daretany served as COO of the firm from 2008 to 2012, at which point she resigned from her teaching gig.

She then left Brienza’s in 2012, but the city Department of Education rehired her. She is currently an “associate education officer” with a $75,825 salary, officials said.
Officials launched a probe following inquiries by The Post about Mulgrew-Daretany’s employment.>>>>>>

the rest: http://nypost.com/2013/12/24/ethics-no-no-for-teacher-union-chiefs-sister/

So, essentially, the employer ( NYC Dept of Ed.) steers 40 million dollars of contracted work to a private firm run by the sister of the president of the union. Wouldn't the union president be at least *potentially* compromised by such an arrangement? Wouldn't there be a temptation to be "reasonable" in advocating for his members.... for fear of risking what appears to be a relationship which is highly material beneficial to members of his family.

Is it appropriate that the union "declines comment"?

Would members of other unions demand clearer boundaries between their employer and their union?

6 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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I'm wondering what other union members think of the following arrangement: (Original Post) Smarmie Doofus Jan 2014 OP
It appears to be a serious conflict of interest Sherman A1 Jan 2014 #1
Hmmm... I'm pretty sure Mulgrew's on the board of the national. ( AFT) Smarmie Doofus Jan 2014 #3
Nah. I'm with you on this. The Conflict of Interest Board is all up in our butts. Squinch Jan 2014 #2
It occurs to me that funding for the tutoring companies probably comes from RttT. No? Smarmie Doofus Jan 2014 #4
Very possibly. The granting and the accepting of the contract are very, very suspect, too. Squinch Jan 2014 #5
It stinks Omaha Steve Jan 2014 #6

Sherman A1

(38,958 posts)
1. It appears to be a serious conflict of interest
Thu Jan 23, 2014, 05:52 AM
Jan 2014

and if I were a member of that particular Union, I would be asking lots of questions both locally and to my international.

 

Smarmie Doofus

(14,498 posts)
3. Hmmm... I'm pretty sure Mulgrew's on the board of the national. ( AFT)
Thu Jan 23, 2014, 11:45 PM
Jan 2014

I'm guessing they would know about it. ( AFT Pres. Weingarten was his mentor in New York.)

Thanks.

Squinch

(50,949 posts)
2. Nah. I'm with you on this. The Conflict of Interest Board is all up in our butts.
Thu Jan 23, 2014, 04:47 PM
Jan 2014

There is no way to NOT know what is a conflict of interest. There is no way Mulgrew or his sister DIDN'T know that what she was doing was a conflict of interest.

And contracts for private tutoring companies are not that far off from charter schools in terms of their detrimental effects on the union and the perception of the union.

He has some 'splaining to do.

 

Smarmie Doofus

(14,498 posts)
4. It occurs to me that funding for the tutoring companies probably comes from RttT. No?
Thu Jan 23, 2014, 11:52 PM
Jan 2014

Another possible reason for his accommodationist approach to corporate "reform" of public schools.

Funny... the education blogosphere will kick him all over the place re. his caving to "reform" .... but it appears very few want to go anywhere near the situation described in OP.

Squinch

(50,949 posts)
5. Very possibly. The granting and the accepting of the contract are very, very suspect, too.
Fri Jan 24, 2014, 04:19 PM
Jan 2014

The DOE didn't check into the fact that the sister of the union president was an owner? Sure. And then he takes a pro reform position.

This stinks.

He fell asleep and they turned him into a pod. It happened to Randi too.

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