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Retiring soon?
If you are planning to retire in the next year or two, now is the time to start preparing. It may seem early, but trust us, it’s not.
The UFT Pension Department is here for you to assist in your transition to retirement.
School Counselors Chapter Newsletter - June 2022
Information about the Open Market Transfer plan, excessing, professional evaluations for school counselors, protecting students' personally identifiable information, social-emotional learning screeners and the 19th annual School Counselors Conference...
Fix mayoral control
The concept of mayoral control of the New York City public schools is a good one. The city’s highest elected official should be held accountable for policies that affect more than 850,000 schoolchildren. But that doesn’t mean the mayor should have...
Medicare Part B and IRMAA 2024 reimbursements
Medicare Part B 2024 reimbursements should have reached eligible retirees by April 2025. IRMAA 2024 reimbursements are scheduled to be issued by October 2025.
Member Assistance Program’s Let’s Talk About It
About 250 middle schoolers participated in music activities, all designed to encourage social-emotional learning, at the fifth annual Let's Talk About It event organized by the UFT's Member Assistance Program.
MindUP professional learning with Goldie Hawn
The 160 teachers and paraprofessionals who gathered for a day of professional learning on MindUP heard from the organization's founder, Goldie Hawn.
Medicare Part B and IRMAA reimbursement update
If you are eligible for IRMAA, now is the time to file it. Read for more details and important links.
Metropolitan Museum of Art unionizes
After four years of organizing fueled by concerns over job security, pay and transparency in employment policies, hundreds of Metropolitan Museum of Art employees in January approved forming a union through the United Auto Workers.
Boom in higher ed unionization
More than 50,000 graduate students and other student workers on 51 university campuses nationwide have formed unions since 2022, according to the National Labor Relations Board.
Resolution on the occasion of the UFT's 63rd anniversary, March 16, 2023
We thank those who preceded us and paved the way for us to celebrate our 63rd anniversary, knowing that the UFT has made unique and important contributions to public education, to the labor movement and to millions of people’s lives.
Starbucks fires 20 union organizers
Starbucks is using aggressive tactics to squash the efforts of workers seeking to unionize at the world’s largest coffeehouse chain.
Fix Tier 6 presentation in schools now
Chapter leaders have taken the Delegate Assembly’s Fix Tier 6 presentation on the road. Chapter Leader Lillian Crespo at PS 216 in Brooklyn and her UFT district representative, Adam Shapiro, showed it to PS 216 members at a Jan. 22 chapter meeting.
Paras get Teacher’s Choice money
After years of advocacy by the UFT, paraprofessionals will be included in the Teacher’s Choice program for the first time this school year.
Resolution on the UFT's 64th anniversary: March 16, 2024
The UFT resolves to continue our founders’ work to preserve public education, protect workers’ rights and do our part in solidarity with our fellow workers to fight for a nation and world where we all can live and thrive in our workplaces and in our...
Our trans youth
President Trump's executive order to end "radical indoctrination" is devoid of any compassion for the struggles of young people who are living or considering living as a person of the opposite gender. Nor does it acknowledge our role as educators in...
Medicare Part B and IRMAA 2025 reimbursements
What Medicare-eligible UFT retirees need to know about Medicare Part B and IRMAA 2025 reimbursements.
UFT Contract Negotiating Committee to convene in June
The UFT Contract Negotiating Committee, made up of over 600 members, will begin in June to chart union strategy for negotiating the next DOE-UFT contract.
Resolution on member engagement during 2027 contract negotiations
The UFT will survey all members to identify needs, shape priorities, and set contract demands and the negotiating committee shall be formed promptly, allowing sufficient time for training on collective bargaining.
School Counselors Chapter Newsletter - June 2023
Information about the tentative contract agreement, excessing, school-based options, performance reviews and the 20th annual UFT School Counselors Conference.
School Counselors Chapter Newsletter - May 2025
Information about IPRs, excessing, performance reviews and probation extensions.
School Counselors Chapter Newsletter - June 2024
Information about excessing, wage increases and bonuses, individual progress reports and school counselor evaluations.
Voting in your chapter elections
Every three years, UFT members vote for chapter leaders, delegates and paraprofessional representatives. For this election cycle, we are reverting to the pre-pandemic election procedures that were in place for decades. See some answers to common...
UFT political action through COPE
The Committee on Political Education (COPE) is the UFT’s political action arm. Learn about its importance and how members can help support it in this Q&A.
Exorbitant hospital charges
The UFT has joined with other unions and health care advocates in the Coalition for Affordable Hospitals. The coalition’s first action was to launch a petition calling on the heads of the five major hospital systems in New York City to agree to fair...
Catastrophic major medical insurance
The Catastrophe Major Medical Plan, sponsored by NYSUT Member Benefits, offers additional coverage for expenses that a basic health plan might not. In-service members may enroll between Sept. 8 and Oct. 13, 2023.
Resolution commemorating the significance of Stonewall and ongoing LGBTQIA+ advocacy
The UFT reaffirms its unwavering solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community, unequivocally condemning all forms of discrimination and actively opposing any policies or rhetoric that diminish their rights or protections.
Testimony on streamlined college acceptance of NYC public high school graduates
Janella Hinds, UFT Vice President for Academic High Schools, delivered testimony before the New York City Council Education Committee and Higher Education Committee on streamlining college acceptances for NYC public high school graduates.
UFT statement on arbitrator's decision on new Medicare Advantage program
An independent arbitrator has ordered the city to negotiate a new Medicare Advantage program with the Aetna insurance company in the next 25 days.
Open enrollment through Oct. 13 for catastrophic major medical insurance
NYSUT recently announced a new open enrollment period for its Catastrophe Major Medical Plan that helps provide coverage for out-of-pocket medical expenses if you have a serious medical issue. New members can only enroll between Sept. 8 and Oct. 13...
Truth or consequences
We can teach students to become critical consumers of information by teaching them information literacy. The goal is not just to help students distinguish between factual and fictional content but to encourage them to think critically about all the...
School safety
School safety is a prerequisite for teaching and learning. The UFT’s Safety and Health Department is dedicated to protecting all UFT members from safety threats that can confront them in schools. Here are answers to some of the most common questions...
School Counselors Chapter Newsletter - June 2026
Information about IPRs, excessing, performance reviews and personnel files.
Love as a language
While we tend to think of romantic love around Valentine’s Day, there’s also love of family and friends, self-love, and love of learning, nature, beauty and more.
NX grading policies for the 2020-21 school year
DOE policy states that “students must achieve mastery” and/or “achieve learning outcomes” to receive a passing grade. If not, they will receive an NX.
Who are we?
The United Federation of Teachers represents nearly 200,000 members, including a diverse group of some 78,000 teachers and 26,000 paraprofessionals as well as school counselors, school nurses, social workers and psychologists, occupational and...
Hearing aid benefit boost
The UFT has improved an important benefit for members who have experienced hearing loss. Effective March 1, members will be reimbursed up to $4,000 for hearing aids every three years.