The federal threats to collective bargaining, Social Security, health care and education funding loomed large at the 53rd annual New York State United Teachers Representative Assembly in Rochester in early May.

AFT President Randi Weingarten criticized the Trump administration for “undermining democracy,” “violating the Constitution,” “restricting our freedoms” and “trying to erase history.”

Melinda Person, the president of the UFT’s nearly 700,000-member state affiliate, opened the two-day convention by rallying members to fight back.

“We will organize, and when the time comes, we will vote because one thing I know for certain, nobody voted for cuts to public education, health care and Social Security just so we can give tax breaks to billionaires.”

At the UFT breakfast at the convention, President Michael Mulgrew told UFT delegates that the union has embarked on what will be a “long-game fight” to preserve public education in the face of the federal attacks.

“We are the United Federation of Teachers, and we are not losing public education,” he said. “We’re going to win this fight, and we’re going to grow into a team that is stronger.”

During the Representative Assembly, NYSUT’s highest policy-making body, delegates adopted resolutions on protecting public education, advancing equity for English language learners and fighting for living wages for school-related professionals statewide.

Four UFT members received NYSUT awards in recognition of their leadership and accomplishments.

District 5 Representative Zina Burton-Myrick, who is retiring in June, received the top “Not for Ourselves Alone”: The Sandy Feldman Outstanding Leadership Award. Burton-Myrick has advocated for the UFT members and students in Central Harlem schools for the past 11 years of her 32-year career. In a video about her award, Burton-Myrick said she believes in “worker power” and community service. She teared up when she spoke about her mentors. “Somebody saw me and poured into me, so I like to think that it’s my opportunity and my chance to pour back into families,” she said of her work as an educator and a union representative.

Tom Murphy, who led the UFT’s Retired Teachers Chapter for 15 years, received a Retiree Member of the Year Award. In a video about his award, Murphy said that he transformed the RTC “into a political arm of the union.”

Raul Garcia, who has served as the chapter leader of the UFT Social Workers and Psychologists Chapter for seven years, received a School-Related Professionals Member of the Year Award.

Moncef Righi, the chapter leader of the NYU Langone–Brooklyn chapter of the Federation of Nurses/UFT, received a Healthcare Professionals Member of the Year Award in recognition of the part he played in fighting short-staffing at the hospital and securing a strong contract in February.