Role of a school-based paraprofessional representative
You are a liaison between the chapter leader and the paraprofessionals in your school, your district paraprofessional representative and the UFT district representative.
Duties & Requirements for this Position
Meetings
- Attend citywide paraprofessional representative meetings
- Hold paraprofessional meetings at your school in collaboration with your chapter leader as stated in Article 29 of the paraprofessionals contract.
Article Twenty-Nine: Upon request to the head of the school, members of the Union who are in the bargaining unit shall be permitted to meet within the school under circumstances which will not interfere with the paraprofessional program or other school activities. Such meetings may be held only during the employee’s lunch period or before or after the employees working hours, at a place to be assigned by the head of the school, where other employees or children are not present. Union officials may attend such meetings. - Share information received via personal contact or email, newsletter, etc.
- Attend your districtwide paraprofessional meetings.
Participation
- Union events and activities – Labor Day, Juneteenth, Paraprofessionals Awards, Spring Conference, Teacher Union Day, etc.
- Rallies and demonstrations related to current union actions
- Phone banks and other political action campaigns
- Represent paraprofessionals at school consultation committee meetings, on-going conversations
Teamwork
- Work with the school chapter leader as it relates to union and school life and act as a liaison between the chapter leader and the paraprofessionals in your school
- Work with your paraprofessional district coordinator
- Work with your borough coordinator
- Work with your district representative
- Support the leadership and inform them of any problems or issues within your school
- Encourage members to join union activities
- Uniting, retaining and promoting harmonious chapter relationships
- Communicating with all paraprofessionals and substitute paraprofessionals via personal email, newsletter, meetings, etc.