The UFT Delegate Assembly voted on July 8 to endorse Queens Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor in the November elections.

At a news conference at union headquarters the following day, Mamdani pledged to work with the union to protect New York City public schools and support educators and students.

“Teachers, parents and students must be partners in the way that we lead our education policy across the city because ultimately it is those New Yorkers who oftentimes know the exact answers as to what is plaguing our schools, what policies could fix those schools,” he said.

The high cost of living coupled with low pay in New York City are making it impossible to hire and retain enough public school educators, said UFT President Michael Mulgrew as he praised Mamdani’s focus on making the city more affordable for working people.

“We are looking forward to having a real partnership in City Hall with someone who truly will say, ‘What do we need to do to support our school system? What do we need to do to support the people who are trying to make each and every one of their students’ lives better?’” he said.

UFT delegates voted 64% in favor of the endorsement after a vigorous debate at a special Delegate Assembly called to consider a mayoral endorsement. The UFT had declined to make an endorsement in the June Democratic primary due to the lack of consensus among UFT members. But after New York City voters chose Mamdani in the Democratic primary, UFT chapter leaders and other elected representatives of the Delegate Assembly coalesced around his candidacy. The plan to call a special Delegate Assembly in July if needed to vote on a mayoral endorsement was discussed at the June meeting.

Mamdani, a 2010 graduate of the Bronx HS of Science, promised to fully fund public schools. He said he would work with the union “to ensure every dollar we win — be it in City Hall or Albany — for the purpose of education is actually going into our classrooms.”

He voiced his support for the swift passage of proposed legislation before the City Council to provide an annual “RESPECT check” of about $10,000 for paraprofessionals. The bill, he said, “addresses the fact that there are too many open positions right now for paraprofessionals across the city because that job simply does not pay enough.”

Mamdani, himself a Tier 6 member, vowed to make fixing the pension tier for city and state employees hired after April 1, 2012, a “key part” of the city’s legislative agenda in Albany. “Why can’t we attract and retain teachers the way we used to?” he asked. “We know the answer: We are forcing those same teachers to earn less and work longer.”

Mamdani lamented that the implementation of the state class size law has “flailed” under Mayor Eric Adams. “Too much of what we have actually put into law is being treated as if it is a suggestion,” he said.

He vowed to promptly fill the more than 100 vacant positions at the School Construction Authority so the agency can build the seats needed to reduce class sizes in every school. He also said the city must hire thousands more teachers.

Mamdani said he would work in partnership with educators and parents in developing educational policy. “We are all looking to do the same thing: deliver world-class public education in a world-class city,” he said.

Mamdani vowed to stand up to President Donald Trump, who “would love nothing more than to continue to hack away at one of the beacons of light in our city, which is our education system.”

Edward R. Murrow HS Chapter Leader Terrain Chambers Reeves, one of the speakers at the news conference, said Mamdani understands the UFT’s priorities and would work to improve the livelihoods of UFT members.

“We need better for all members,” she said, “and with Zohran Mamdani, our members will have this opportunity.”