Burnout is a real risk for professionals in the helping professions, which include UFT members in education and health care. If you feel dread at the prospect of going to work, you may be suffering from this condition.

As the psychologist at Gotham Collaborative HS in the Bronx, Nadhilis Rojas assesses students’ needs, refers them for services and tracks their progress. As a fluent English and Spanish speaker, she can more effectively serve her diverse school...

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 it has for more than 35 years, the Teacher’s Choice program will again reimburse UFT-represented educators for some of their out-of-pocket expenses for supplemental instructional supplies and materials of their choice.


I have developed five simple strategies for building genuine and affectionate relationships with my students quickly and efficiently early in the school year.

Having a warm and inviting learning environment will help you connect with your students, especially those who are new to the school or even the country. Here are some suggestions for how to make your students feel welcome in your classroom from the...

Jennifer Figueroa believes that anyone can be an artist. And the Bronx native, now in her third year of teaching art at PS 178 in Co-op City, knows that an expansive definition of "artist" helps kids take pride in all kinds of creativity.

Second-grade teacher Candace LeDoux has her students write a daily affirmation each morning. She believes this small investment in positive thinking can have a big impact on her students’ well-being.

The UFT Staten Island partnered with local elected officials and organizations to provide backpacks and other supplies, food and fun for more than 400 families during its annual supplies giveaway on Aug. 2.

UFT members and staff handed out books, backpacks, school supplies and other goodies to students and their families at the Harlem Week Children’s Festival at Howard Bennett Playground on Aug. 20.

UFT members, family and friends celebrated Dominican culture and community on Aug. 13 by marching up Sixth Avenue or waving from the UFT’s blue-and-white float in the Dominican Day Parade.

George Altomare, a founder of the UFT who led with insight, devotion and a great deal of heart, died on Aug. 20, at age 92 after a long illness. He loved teaching and dedicated his life to improving public school education for New York City students...

UFT President Michael Mulgrew kicked off the first day of school for New York City public schools on Sept. 7 at PS 121 in the Bronx with Mayor Eric Adams and Schools Chancellor David Banks. They welcomed the more than 900,000 students back to school citywide, including about 21,500 from families that have migrated to the city in the past year; announced a state waiver that will allow more bilingual educators to teach migrant students; and touted the new, phonics-based reading curriculum.

Officially known as the second differential (C6 + PD), most members achieve the salary differential with the highest pay scale by taking 30 course credits beyond their bachelor’s and master’s degrees. But a lesser-known path to the top differential...

A new city Office of Healthcare Accountability will force all New York City hospitals to disclose what they charge for medical procedures and make it harder for them to engage in price gouging.

Between the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of social media, many students are dealing with anxiety, lack of focus, tumultuous emotions or depression. There’s a proven strategy that can help: mindfulness. Here are some digital...

UFT founder George Altomare, who died in August 2023, is greeted by fellow UFT members in heaven.

The DOE recently notified the approximately 130,000 in-service UFT members and 36,000 former employees whose confidential information might have been exposed in a large data breach in June.

September’s hint of cooler weather brings the feeling of a new year and a fresh start.

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...

This group shares it's bargaining unit with Supervisors of Nurses & Therapists and School Nurses.

New beginnings can trigger fears. In this first episode of the Brewing Wellness podcast, Dr. Jarell Myers, a clinical psychologist, will discuss ways to work with our thoughts and feelings so we are not held captive by unhealthy fears. He will share an approach to building up tolerance through exposure and other strategies to help manage our anxieties.

Eleven busloads of UFT members and school community members joined tens of thousands of demonstrators at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Aug. 26, to mark the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. In the spirit of this year’s theme, “Not a commemoration, a continuation,” the demonstrators called for dignity for workers and civil rights.

On hundreds of occasions in the last 18 months, patients at NYU Langone Hospital - Brooklyn have been put at risk by the understaffing of nurses and aides, including in the hospital’s Intensive and Critical Care units. The Federation of Nurses/UFT...

Nourishing UFT members, one conversation at a time.

Brewing Wellness is a podcast created by the UFT Member Assistance Program to support the mental health and well-being of our members.

In order to do the work you do every day and be present for your loved ones, students, patients and colleagues, your cup has to be full. Brewing Wellness focuses on mental health and wellness topics that can help us all thrive in our professional and personal lives.

A new episode is released on the last Monday of each month.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Southern District of New York, asserts the DOE has put students and staff who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing at risk by refusing to install an appropriate emergency notification system that would alert deaf members of the...

The UFT issued a statement following the decision issued by New York State Supreme Court regarding charter school co-locations in public school buildings in Brooklyn and Queens.

The seasons, like everything in life, are transient. Before summer passes, let it remind us to rest and be gentle with our bodies and minds.

Brooklyn native Vanecia Wilson, a UFT special representative and 31-year veteran educator, continues her advocacy on behalf of teachers, students and school communities as the union’s new political director.

Have you ever been asked, "Why are you so sensitive?" or questioned about why you feel overwhelmed and withdraw from noisy or busy environments? In this episode of the Classroom Café podcast, school social worker and MAP clinician Dr. Julie Beidl highlights the characteristics of the highly sensitive person. She shares her experiences helping people with highly sensitive traits — a group she has seen increase in numbers since the pandemic — navigate the world and turn their sensitivity into a superpower.

Additional compensation salary schedule (2022–27)

Per session and other rates salary schedule (2022–27)

UFT members have ratified a new contract by a margin of 74.6%. The more than 95,000 votes cast was the largest in UFT history.

There is nothing like travel to open the mind and expose you to new customs, cultures, beliefs, foods, art and attitudes.

If you still receive a paper paycheck, you should not cash or deposit it prior to the date printed on the check. New York City has an "early encashment" fee of $55 that they place on each checks that is deposited or cashed before the date printed on...

Self-care is important for physical and mental health. As you prepare for a summer recharge, take some time to prioritize your own well-being. In this episode of the Classroom Café podcast, Tina Puccio, director of the union's Member Assistance Program, is joined by clinicians Kathleen Regalado, Steven Sulzer and Alain Metellus for a wide-ranging discussion of health and wellness, including strategies for setting boundaries, managing stress and prioritizing self-care.