We are wondering what new, secret policy changes will be handed down today at a mandatory meeting for all Arbitrators, NYSUT and DOE attorneys who work in 3020-a cases. Who is paying for the time of these attorneys and arbitrators? ( Some arbitrators on the NYC panel are not attorneys).
Laura Brantley, Naeemah Lamont and Dennis Da Costa prowl the halls of 49-51 Chambers Street 6th floor for any person who dares to challenge their authority - i.e. anyone who gives an extra date or cancels a 3020-a date because a private attorney cannot make it; argues that a Respondent must pay if they have a death in the family and want to postpone a hearing, or the Respondent cannot come in because he/she is in a coma, etc.
Nothing matters to them except termination, resignation, or anything similar.
The 3020-a arbitrators are supposed to be appointed by the Respondent and the Department of Education, but they are not. They are picked by Claude Hersh, Associate General Counsel for NYSUT in New York, and Theresa Europe of the DOE, but then Dennis Da Costa appoints the arbitrator for each case, my sources tell me.
If an arbitrator strays from the path created by Dennis, Laura and Naeemah, one of the three, usually Dennis, will come into the hearing room and either scream and yell abuses and insults, or sit quietly, letting his presence tell the arbitrator that he/she does it his/the Dept's way, or you, Mr./Ms Arbitrator, get the highway.
Today at 4PM there is a meeting for NYSUT, attorneys for the Department of Education, and all Arbitrators at 49-51 Chambers Street, set up by Adam Ross, UFT attorney and Courtenaye Jackson-Chase, General Counsel for the Department of Education.
Private attorneys are not invited (we tried).
This meeting should be in the public eye because it concerns the public.
In my opinion, the autocratic leadership by NYSUT/UFT/DOE over 3020-a hearings in New York City and the violations of due process which consistently plague the hearings must stop.
Every Respondent should have an open and public hearing (it's your choice) and open up these hearing to public scrutiny.
Postscript: please email me anonymously or comment on this post if you attended this meeting, and tell me what happened, what was discussed, and how many people were there, etc. I don't need your name!!!
Betsy Combier
betsy.combier@gmail.com
