Michael Mulgrew
President
Time to lay it on the line with lawmakers
President Michael Mulgrew reminds members the UFT stays in the fight for the things that matter to educators, students, their families and our communities. As the budget process gets underway at the state and city level — the UFT is geared up to fight for its legislative priorities once again.
Fix Tier 6 in ’26
We launched our “6” days campaign on Dec. 6. On the sixth of every month, schools will participate in coordinated actions to educate members about the need to fix Tier 6 of the pension system, build visibility and show collective strength.
Hailing the path taken to new health plan
I’m proud that the UFT led the charge at the bargaining table and even prouder that we modeled participatory unionism at its best in the process leading up to the Municipal Labor Committee’s final vote on the new plan on Sept. 30. From the beginning, we committed to democracy and transparency.
Our fights yield better working conditions
UFT President Michael Mulgrew writes that we will see meaningful improvements in our working conditions — and our students’ learning conditions — this school year as a result of fights we undertook as a union for the changes we need.
A health care reset
We can all agree that our health benefits need a reset. For the past two years, the city and the MLC have been involved in a negotiated acquisition process for a new in-service and pre-Medicare retiree health care plan, which we hope will be the reset we need. The new plan that emerges from this process must provide better benefits and reduce costs for city taxpayers.
We won’t back down
Never in living memory has a new president unilaterally attacked public services, public education and worker rights like is happening now. But no one should underestimate the strength and grit that it takes to be a public school educator in New York City. We will not allow the federal government to erode our rights and harm our students without a fight.
Fairness for our paraprofessionals
The fact is our paraprofessionals cannot survive in this city on a starting salary of just under $32,000. Without offering more money, the DOE cannot hope to retain and recruit enough paraprofessionals.
Why we support Kamala Harris
Every election is important, but one could argue that the general election on Nov. 5 is the single most important election in our lifetime. As union members and public school educators, we have a clear choice: Kamala Harris.
We are also supporting Democratic candidates for the U.S. Congress in Westchester County and Long Island — races that will help determine which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives.
Our power is in our members
A chapter leader on their own can only do so much. The power of our union is in all of its members. That has been provided by the work of our Chapter Action Teams.
Our class size campaign this spring
The state's class size law is our collective opportunity to significantly enhance the quality of education for every child in our city. Yet this historic moment is at risk due to the reluctance of Mayor Eric Adams and the city Department of Education to implement the new law.