UFT/UNITY: Making It Happen

For over 60 years UNITY/UFT has been the proud majority voice of our union. UNITY/UFT tirelessly fights for UFT members, improving working conditions for the betterment of our schools and securing the economic benefits our members deserve.

COMPENSATION:

Because of UNITY/UFT’s persistence, our members now are receiving the fourth of five lump-sum payments for increases not received in 2009 and 2010 when, nearing the end of his mayoralty, former Mayor Bloomberg refused to give raises to UFT members. It was a different story during contract negotiations with Mayor DeBlasio in 2014. UNITY/UFT members negotiated a contract that not only ensured UFT members were made whole by 2020 for what Bloomberg had refused to pay, but also provided salary increases totaling 18 percent by the end of the contract.

This is in addition to the 2.5 % raise we will receive in May 2020 because of the current
contract UNITY/UFT members negotiated with the DOE in 2018!

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Class size has been a concern for many of our members and, as a result, during our 2018 contract negotiations, UNITY/UFT negotiated an expedited class size resolution process. The results have been overwhelming. Simply compare this school year to last:

Oversized Classes

• Day 10 2018: Approximately 400 schools with oversized classes
• Day 10 2019: Approximately 350 schools with oversized classes
• As of 10/15/19 that number was down to 81

Out of Compliance Schools

• School year 2018-19: 113 chronically out of compliance schools
• School year 2019-20: so far, 51 of these schools are in compliance

These are, by far, the lowest numbers of any year in recent memory. And it is all a result of UNITY/UFT’s hard work and dedication.

UNITY/UFT President Michael Mulgrew always reminds us “. . . it is about always doing
the absolute best for our members both inside and outside of the workplace . . . and
we will always fight to make that happen.”

Donate to the 7th Annual UFT Middle School Coat Drive

Unity Caucus encourages all UFT members to support the 7th Annual UFT Middle School Coat Drive and help ensure that our students have access to warm winter clothing.

Donate NEW with tags: coats, hats, scarves, sweaters, mittens and other winter accessories to support NYC public school students living in temporary housing.

 

Donations may be:

• Brought to the UFT Delegate Assembly in October and November

• Brought to any UFT borough office

• Mailed or brought to the UFT Middle Schools Division located at 52 Broadway, 14th Floor NY, NY 10004

Help Refugee Families at the Border

Join the work of Unity Caucus by putting our values into action.

We are providing everyone the opportunity to support refugee families at the Border by donating to The Humanitarian Respite Center in McAllen, Texas where they are provided with warm meals, showers, medicine and other supplies.

Your donation to the UFT Disaster Relief Fund will support the Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley as they work to provide humanitarian relief to refugee families at the Border.

Please use the link below to donate:

https://www.uft.org/get-involved/uft-campaigns/donate-help-refugee-families-border

Print and share the flyer with your school community and any community based organizations.

Link to Download Flyer: Help_Refugee_Families_at_the_Border

Re-Elect Michael Mulgrew and the Unity-RTC Team

Retiree flyer 2019

UNITY/UFT gets it done and has the track record to prove it! #VOTEUNITY

 

 

Vote Unity: Moving Our Union Forward Together

UNITY/UFT Did It! We Did It! A New Contract Approved By 87% of our Members

Members spoke. We listened. The UNITY/UFT caucus has been the foundation of our union for over 60 years and we proudly bear the responsibility for being the majority voice. UNITY/UFT listened to the concerns of membership, involved them through every part of the negotiation process and fought for a contract that provides us with VOICE, SUPPORT, RESPECT and true EMPOWERMENT.

UNITY/UFT President Michael Mulgrew summed it up best when announcing the contract had been ratified. “I want to thank the members of the UFT for their resounding support of this contract. The new agreement gives teachers a larger voice in how their schools are run, and shows what we can accomplish when we stand together.” To emphasize that statement, we can accomplish anything in UNITY.

WHAT WE ACHIEVED IN THIS AGREEMENT:

Pay Increases That Reward the Efforts of Our Members:

• Year 1: 2.0% (February 14, 2019)
• Year 2: 2.5% (May 14, 2020)
• Year 3: 3.0% (May 14, 2021)

This is in addition to the two lump sum payments that will be received in October 2019 and 2020.

New Due Process Rights for Paraprofessionals

New and Improved Rights at the School Level/Workplace for all UFT represented DOE titles

In order to address safety concerns, lack of curriculum, professional development, basic instructional supplies, workload and physical space we negotiated the following:

• Enhanced authority for consultation committees  
• Expedited dispute resolution process
• Additional voice for all members
• New District Operational Committee
• New Citywide Operational Committee

Progress Toward A Sensible Teacher Evaluation System

• Prompt feedback
• A decrease in the number of observations
• Joint UFT/DOE training

Focus on Safety

• Increased access to OORS information
• Greater input and transparency with regard to the safety committee

Quicker Class Size Grievance Process

Contractual Language on Retaliation

• If you see something, say something without having to worry about harassment, intimidation, retaliation and discrimination

New and Expanded Teacher Leadership Roles

• Teacher Team Leader and Teacher Development Facilitator

New and Enhanced Recruitment & Retention Efforts for Hard-to Staff Schools

• Equal UFT/DOE voice at the school level and salary differentials for eligible schools/titles

New Way to Attain Differentials – A+ Credits

• More options, more freedom
• Relevant credits based on YOUR needs

UNITY/UFT understands that it is and has always been about doing the absolute best for our members.

UFT/UNITY Does It Again: Paid Parental Leave Delivered!

In spite of tremendous external pressure and ongoing attacks on our Union and our profession, UNITY/UFT stayed the course, fighting relentlessly for an agreement with NYC on paid parental leave for UFT members. This is something our members, men and women alike, wanted. We knew that we had to make this a priority and get the job done. And we did.
The new deal provides six weeks of time off at full salary for maternity, paternity, adoption and foster care leave. When this time off is then combined with current sick leave policies, new mothers could have a total of 12 to 14 weeks of paid leave. And, for the first time, fathers as well as non-birth parents – foster, adoptive and surrogate – are eligible for paid time off with the arrival of a child. Under the new agreement they are now eligible for six weeks of paid parental leave at full salary.

UNITY/UFT President Michael Mulgrew said it succinctly: “Our educators give so much to the children in their classrooms. Now, New York City has a way for educators to spend more time with their own children. We knew that if we are to keep the educators we have and attract a new generation of educators to our schools, there needed to be a paid parental leave policy in place that gives them peace of mind. And now we have it.”
The fight for paid parental leave is another example of UNITY/UFT’s tireless pursuit of better benefits and working conditions for our members. The battles to protect our members’ rights never stop. You can count on UNITY/UFT to always fight back in the war against organized labor. It is what we have always done.

Re-Elect Tom Murphy and the UNITY-RTC Team

Fighting for Respect & Fairness for Our Teachers Assigned! Vote UNITY