At the June 11 Delegate Assembly, UFT President Michael Mulgrew indicated that the union was leaning toward not making an endorsement in the Democratic primary for mayor.

“There is no clear consensus among the membership,” he said. “It’s one of the most polarizing races we have ever seen inside the union.”

This year, candidates had to fulfill a new prerequisite if they wanted to be considered for the union’s endorsement: They had to be willing to spend a day in a New York City public school classroom helping educators.

Six of those candidates — Brad Lander, Jessica Ramos, Andrew Cuomo, Zohran Mamdani, Scott Stringer and Zellnor Myrie — attended a mayoral forum at the union’s Spring Education Conference on May 17.

Before some 1,600 members, Mulgrew and UFT Political Director Vanecia Wilson quizzed each candidate on protecting premium-free health benefits for city workers, fixing Tier 6, providing a “RESPECT check” for paraprofessionals, revamping mayoral control of schools, and protecting public schools, civil rights and union rights from President Trump’s attacks.

Notably, Cuomo said he supported doing away with Tier 6, a pension tier that he enacted into law as governor 13 years ago. The state, he said, was no longer in the fiscal bind it was back then. “Roll back Tier 6 so you can compete and get the best teachers and keep them,” Cuomo said.

The candidates in contention also filled out an in-depth union questionnaire.

Following the forum, the UFT asked members to fill out an online survey on which issues they prioritize as they assess the mayoral candidates and which candidates they think are best on each of those issues.

At the DA, Mulgrew said no consensus among UFT members had emerged through the multifaceted process. “This election is clearly a splitter,” he said. “This is not good for a union.”

Mulgrew promised that the UFT would not endorse a candidate for mayor without the Delegate Assembly’s approval.

“If we have to bring the DA back for a special session,” he said, “we will do that.”