randi weingarten
RANDI WEINGARTEN is president of the United Federation of Teachers, representing more than 160,000 active and retired educators in the New York City public school system. She also heads the city Municipal Labor Committee, an umbrella organization for 100 -plus city unions.
From 1986 to 1998, Weingarten served as counsel to UFT President Sandra Feldman, taking a lead role in contract negotiations and enforcement and in lawsuits in which the union fought for adequate school funding and building conditions.
She assumed the UFT presidency in 1998 after Feldman became president of the AFT. She was elected to her first full term the following year and re-elected three times since. Under Weingarten’s leadership, salaries of UFT-represented public school employees have increased by 43 percent.
Weingarten sees her role as an advocate for students as well as union members. Her passion as leader of America's largest union local is to make every school a place where parents want to send their children and educators want to work.
Weingarten holds degrees from Cornell University and the Cardozo School of Law.
