The momentum we have built on Tier 6 this year has uncovered a new level of union activism. We have engaged with new members who are experiencing their first involvement in a union fight and activated those who know from experience what it takes to make real change. This took work and buildup — just as it would in the classroom with our students. We started in December and ramped up our actions each month to get to March — right when we start to lobby for the priorities we want lawmakers to include in the state budget. Our four-month campaign set the stage to scaffold in members’ high level of participation.

Thousands of UFT members gave up a Sunday to travel to Albany on March 8 to tell lawmakers and the entire state that we need to Fix Tier 6. UFT members were by far the largest group at the MVP Arena, and we certainly made our voices heard. It was a day filled with joyful energy, and it was truly an incredible experience to be in the stadium surrounded by our fellow unions from around the state all working toward the same goal.

Much was said by lawmakers at the rally, and that’s the first battle: pressuring policymakers to say they stand with us. The governor, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and state Senate President Andrea Stewart-Cousins all spoke in favor of Tier 6 reform. We know our activism worked: In January, the governor’s budget proposal included no Tier 6 reform. Days after the rally, budget bills in both legislative houses mentioned fixing Tier 6.

Our fight continues, however.

We are at the next stage, which is about not backing down until state lawmakers put real Tier 6 reform in the budget. We have to keep pushing and make lawmakers put the money where their mouth is.

We have already won in at least one respect: Members’ brand-new scale of engagement and activism demonstrates in no uncertain terms that the UFT stands together and is the loudest, strongest union in the state.

As budget season in Albany wraps up this April, we have made it clear to legislators that we expect to see significant reforms to Tier 6 included in the final budget.

In the meantime, the New York City budget season is just starting, and at the top of our priorities is our paraprofessional RESPECT check legislation. The RESPECT check bill has been reintroduced, and a hearing was held where Priscilla Castro, our chairperson of the Paraprofessionals Chapter, and I spoke in favor of this legislation.

We have 46 City Council members signed on as sponsors. Now, we look forward to the bill being voted out of committee, the entire Council passing the bill, and the mayor signing it into law.

Our paraprofessionals have waited long enough. Pattern bargaining has failed them, and the time has come to address that failure.

As we return from spring break, it is only natural to start thinking about the end of the school year. But we cannot rest. We need everyone to keep engaging in the fight to Fix Tier 6 and to pass the paraprofessional RESPECT check — through social media storms, email campaigns and more.

If we keep building our power together, we will win both fights!