Within months of the end of World War II the country was convulsed in the greatest wave of strikes in its history, before or since. With the memory of the Great Depression still fresh in their minds, many workers saw the huge post-war layoffs as a...

March 2010 marked the 50th anniversary of the union’s formation, the beginning of its remarkable growth and extraordinary power and influence. Those 50 years of triumphs and advocacy have strengthened the education profession and New York City public...

The Big Bang theory may be right about the origin of the universe, but it isn’t much help when it comes to explaining the making of a union. Like other unions, the UFT didn’t just explode onto the scene in 1960.

Excessing is the process of reducing staff in a particular school or office when the number of available positions in a title or license area in that school is lower than the number of people in the school who require an assignment in that title or...

Department of Education Carmen Fariña, Chancellor Adam Ross United Federation of Teachers 52 Broadway New York, New York 10007 Dear Adam: In the event a Peer Validator concurs with a principal's assessment of a teacher's performance and the...

The Department of Education and the United Federation of Teachers recognize that lesson plans are a professional responsibility.

Class lessons can’t always be used right from the web, but they can offer teachers a great place to begin their planning, and can help you to shape your own ideas.

The worst thing we can do as teachers is to ignore what has happened the past year. How can you start the school year in a way that acknowledges the trauma of the pandemic and sets students up for success as we move forward?

A UFT school chapter in Queens stood up to — and stood together against — a hostile principal and won.

A member of the UFT's Teachers Assigned Chapter, Lindsey “Desi” Desmond provides targeted support to teachers and administrators who work with the city’s youngest students.

Educators need the summer months to rest and recharge. But it’s also a good idea to fit in a few books about teaching when you have the time and mental space to absorb new information and reflect on your practice.

Links to online resources cited in "Linking to Learning" columns in New York Teacher.

Transfers of attendance teachers from one district office, superintendency or organizational unit to another district office, superintendency or organizational unit will be granted on the following basis: A. General Transfers Principals, attendance...

Restriction on Union Activities back to top No teacher shall engage in Union activities during the time he/she is assigned to teaching or other duties, except that members of the Union's negotiating committee and its special consultants shall, upon...

If a controversial topic is dominating the education debate today, it’s probably something that Al Shanker proposed decades ago

Annuity Fund back to top The Board shall contribute at the rate of $400 per year to the Teachers’ Retirement System to be credited monthly to the annuity account of each teacher who is at the maximum step of his/her salary schedule. The Board will...

The United Federation of Teachers accepts advertising in its newspaper, the New York Teacher, and on its website. For advertising inquiries, please contact UFT sales representative Jacqueline Gottlieb at jgottlieb [at] uft [dot] org (jgottlieb[at]uft[dot]org) or 212-598-7735.

The new retreat room at PS 146 in Howard Beach, Queens, has brightly painted walls, fluffy rugs and soft pillows and is a comfortable safe space, alternative learning environment, relaxation and de-escalation area, and club room for students in the...

UFT Vice President of Elementary Education Karen Alford urges members to welcome and offer their support to the 6,600 new educators hired this fall to bring more classes under the new class size limits that the union fought so hard to secure.

UFT Vice President for Education Mary Vaccaro writes that the DOE will require the use of one of three evidence-based literacy programs grounded in phonics in all elementary schools by September 2024. The UFT Teacher Center is committed to doing...

As his fledgling union teetered on the brink of a strike, Albert Shanker was the linchpin of a last-minute settlement that laid out the goals that would dominate his thinking for the rest of his life.

A. Eligibility and Selection of Lead Educational Associate The minimum requirements for this position will be a Bachelor’s Degree and any other requirements created by the Joint District UFT-DOE Selection Committee. A Lead Educational Associate will...

Fixing Tier 6, providing adequate funding for public schools, banning cell phones in school and supporting union programs such as the UFT Teacher Center were the focus as about 1,000 educators and parents traveled to Albany for UFT Lobby Day on March...

No matter where you are in your career, the UFT is committed to helping you learn and grow. Learn about the hundreds of high-quality courses and workshops the union offers throughout the year.

The required minimum number of evaluations will be fewer for the vast majority of teachers. If you are a tenured teacher, the number of observations your principal or other evaluator will conduct depends on your overall rating from previous school...

See our list of current opportunities for educators to receive funds and recognition for their hard work and dedication.

The American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer fundraising walks in all five boroughs and on Long Island were canceled last year due to the pandemic, and UFT members showed their support through virtual events. This year, members...

A. Reimbursement for Medical Expenses Teachers shall be reimbursed by the Board for reasonable medical expenses, not exceeding $750, incurred because of injuries in the line of duty, to the extent that such expenses are not covered by insurance. In...

Roger Parente still gets up early. Only these days it’s to get in a game of tennis before the stifling mid-day heat of the Southern California desert sets in. Approaching 70, Parente is surprised how well a decade of retirement has agreed with him...

Nat Levine will never forget the time his principal made the mistake of tangling with a young union organizer.

As a state-approved provider of continuing teacher and leader education (CTLE) hours, the UFT's LearnUFT program offers low-cost professional learning opportunities specifically designed to meet our members’ needs.

A child who threatens or engages in physical violence to himself, his/her fellow students, or a teacher may be directed by the teacher to report immediately to the principal or other designated supervisor under such escort as is prescribed by the...

Museum School Chapter Leader Ramona Abraham-Coley successfully used the school-based option process in the DOE-UFT contract to organize her members and arrive at a new staff schedule for this school year that works for both her members and the...

All eyes were on the purple state of Georgia in December as U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Democrat, faced — and defeated — former pro football player Herschel Walker in a runoff election, with campaign help from retired UFT members.