New teachers Courtney Cohen (left), from the Corona Arts and Science Academy, and Michee Cheng, from Metropolitan HS in Queens, received their union bags when they arrived at the theater.
Brooklyn became the Borough of Teachers on Aug. 29 when newly hired educators went to the Kings Theatre for the opening day of the city Department of Education’s New Teacher Week. Schools Chancellor David C. Banks and UFT President Michael Mulgrew both welcomed them. UFT reps were there to sign up the new hires and give them a “Proud Union Member” bag filled with teaching supplies and information about union benefits and services including pensions, the Member Assistance Program and the UFT Teacher Center. By the end of the day, the union had enrolled 1,700 new members. “We know the sustainability of our union centers on enrollment,” said UFT Vice President Karen Alford, the head of the union’s new member initiatives.