By Ben Joravsky
The waiter brought cheesecake and coffee. Doris and Helen went to the restroom. Mooney thanked union leaders Michael Williams, Pamelyn Massarsky, Norma White, and Melvin Wilson for their years of service. What she didn’t say is that they were part of the elected CTU leadership recently ousted by the rank and file for being too compliant with the central office and too autocratic with the membership.
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“It’s really not that important of a position–it’s mostly ceremonial,” Weinstein explained. “You get to run these luncheons and go to CTU meetings.”
The election would be an orderly process, Williams continued. Anyone who wanted to make a nomination should step to the microphone at his right.
To her surprise, a third speaker nominated another retired teacher.
“I hate it when they do that,” said Weinstein. “I don’t like it when they intimidate people for just making a nomination.”
Weinstein’s eyes popped open. Suddenly she understood. If they stopped the nominating now–before any other candidate could be seconded–only Mooney could run!
