Skip to main content
Full Menu Close Menu

About the UFT

The UFT, which represents nearly 200,000 members, is the sole bargaining agent for most of the nonsupervisory educators who work in the New York City public schools. We represent approximately 75,000 teachers, nearly 25,000 classroom paraprofessionals, and many other school-based titles including school secretaries, school counselors and occupational and physical therapists. We also represent family child care providers, nurses, and teachers and other employees at a number of private educational institutions and some charter schools. We have more than 60,000 retired members. 

Do you belong to a UFT bargaining unit but are not yet a UFT member? Enroll now » 

UFT governance structure

The twelve officers, elected for three-year terms, are

  • The president
  • Six vice presidents selected at large (including one each from elementary, middle, academic high and career and technical high schools, special education and non-DOE members)
  • Secretary and assistant secretary
  • Treasurer and assistant treasurer

The union has an office in each borough. There is a UFT borough representative for each borough and a UFT district representative for each community school district, high school district and District 75.

Each school has a chapter leader elected by the members of that school for a three-year term.

In addition, there are UFT functional chapters to represent non-teacher members, each with a chapter leader elected citywide for a three-year term.

See the UFT's chapter election guidelines and bylaws »

The UFT has three governing bodies:

  • The Delegate Assembly: The 3,400-member Delegate Assembly is the union's legislature, with elected representatives from every school. It meets monthly between October and June.
  • The Executive Board: The 102-member elected Executive Board sets policy on a variety of education, labor and union issues. It meets twice a month during the school year.
  • The Administrative Committee: AdCom, composed of the eleven officers, borough representatives and selected department heads, oversees day-to-day operations. It meets weekly during the school year.

UFT office locations

The UFT's central headquarters is located at 50/52 Broadway in Manhattan. There are also UFT offices in each of the five boroughs where members can go to get help with certification, licensing, salaries, grievances and pensions.

Each UFT borough office is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, when school is in session. To better serve members, each office is open until 7 p.m. at least one day a week during the school year.

Get directions to UFT headquarters and the UFT borough offices »

UFT union affiliations

The UFT was founded in 1960 as Local 2 of the now 1.4 million-member American Federation of Teachers (AFT).

Our union is also a part of the 600,000-member New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) and a member of the AFL-CIO and the New York City Central Labor Council.