UFT nurses, child care providers and retirees joined dozens of other union members and health care advocates for a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of Medicare and Medicaid.

UFT Director of Child Care Policy Jeremy Hoffman testified before the New York City Council Committee on General Welfare, Committee on Women’s Issues and the Committee on Juvenile Justice regarding the FY 2016 preliminary budget relating to the Administration for Children's Services.

New York City’s child care providers have overwhelmingly ratified a $43 million agreement with the state Office of Children and Family Services that will feature valuable health benefits as well as grant money to enhance their skills and better equip their programs. “It’s an historic contract that will greatly improve the lives of our members and of the children we serve,” said UFT President Michael Mulgrew.

Eighty-eight very proud child care providers completed training for their national accreditation from the National Association for Family Child Care in a festive graduation ceremony held at the UFT’s lower Manhattan headquarters on Dec. 6.

Fourteen providers were honored at the UFT Family Child Care Provider Chapter’s second annual Provider Appreciation Awards Ceremony.

Around 25 UFT family child care providers gathered on March 26 for a professional development workshop hosted by WNET and the network’s famous Thomas the Tank Engine, the star of its classic animated children’s show “Thomas and Friends.”

Teachers have long had a set of national standards that they can meet to demonstrate expertise in their profession, and now family child care providers do, too.

I am honored to represent you, our union’s approximately 40,000 members who are not employed by the DOE, as the UFT’s first-ever vice president for non-DOE members. Although we are called the United Federation of Teachers, we are a union of professionals and encompass far more than just teachers and other DOE employees.

Rhode Island’s more than 540 newly unionized family child care providers are expected to begin negotiations this month for a first contract with the state.

Bill de Blasio, who criticized the growing income inequality in the city and promised to restore respect for teachers and unions, was elected mayor of New York City on Nov. 5. In his victory speech, he painted a vision of a city where "we all rise together."