[This article has been updated.]
Gregg Lundahl, a high school government teacher from the East Side of Manhattan, is preparing to launch a primary challenge to Assembly Member Jonathan Bing, who has earned the scorn of the United Federation of Teachers for introducing a bill that would give principals authority over teacher lay-offs.
“I am a candidate,” Lundahl said in a brief interview at the State Democratic Convention in Rye. “I’ve been living in the community for 14 years. I get around the community. I understand it.”
The union has been on the look-out for a challenger to Bing, whose bill would replace seniority-based layoffs with a panel of teachers, principals and administrators that would decide whom to layoff. Seniority would still factor into any decision. Bing is also a supporter of charter schools, which the union has traditionally opposed, but his teacher-layoff reforms have rankled union members engaged in a fierce fight in the Legislature to maintain the current rules.
Paul Egan, legislative and political director at UFT, said the teachers were excited about Lundahl’s candidacy, but stopped short of an endorsement, saying he would still have to go through the normal vetting process.
“Mr. Lundahl has been an active and committed member of the UFT,” Egan wrote in an email. “We welcome his enthusiasm and believe he would make an excellent addition to the State Assembly.”
Meanwhile, the UFT is pressuring Bing’s political mentor, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, to distance herself from the Assembly member. The union’s seal-of-approval will be important this year as she works to fend off an uphill challenge from Reshma Saujani, a former hedge fund lawyer and first-time candidate.
Dick Riley, a UFT spokesman, sought to dispel talk that the union was trying to influence Maloney with regards to Bing’s re-election.
“I am told that we conveyed to Rep. Maloney that we are unhappy with Mr. Bing,” Riley wrote in an email.
Bing dismissed the idea that Maloney, with whom he has a long-standing relationship, would distance herself.
“Congresswoman Maloney has endorsed my re-election, as have all the elected officials in my district,” said Bing.
Alix Anfang, a campaign spokesperson for Maloney, echoed this thinking.
"The Congresswoman fully supports Assemblymember Bing," Anfang said. "He has been a tremendous legislator and a strong advocate for New Yorkers.
Still, union anger at Bing and other officials across the city who support altering tenure rules is running high this year.
“It doesn’t surprise me that a challenge would come from out of the labor movement,” said Faye Moore, president of SSEU 371, which represents members that would have been effected by Bing’s legislation. “What Mr. Bing proposed would be devastating for the public sector labor movement and we have to respond
