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UFT demands Council speaker give 'RESPECT check' a hearing
The UFT has turned up the pressure on City Council leaders to bring the "RESPECT check" bill for paraprofessionals to a committee hearing and a vote. Forty-seven of 51 City Council members have co-sponsored the bill and more than 104,000 people have signed a petition in support of the legislation, but Council Speaker Adrienne Adams has not brought the bill to a committee hearing, which is a prerequisite for a vote.
Chapter leaders join forces
Chapter leaders of the five co-located high schools at the Walton Educational Campus in the Bronx celebrated on April 8 the grand reopening of their campus library, a result of the chapter leaders joining forces and convincing their administrators to rebuild the library and hire a librarian.
Members weigh in on health care coverage
The new health care committee convened by the UFT spent its first two meetings on April 3 and 30 delving into the intricacies of health care coverage for New York City workers and retirees.
Make it 55!
UFT members came together in every borough on the union’s Day of Action on May 6 to demand improvements to Tier 6 of the state pension system.
In Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, members took part in simultaneous after-school rallies, while members on Staten held in-school actions and those in the Bronx passed out “fix Tier 6” flyers at three transit hubs.
UFT President Michael Mulgrew wins reelection
Michael Mulgrew, the UFT president since July 2009, was reelected to the position for the sixth time in May, receiving 54% of the votes. The independent Global Election Services, which conducted the election for the first time, announced the unofficial tally on May 31.
UFT wins on cellphones, class size
The new state budget legislation includes two ֱpriorities — a cell phone ban in schools and funding earmarked for class size reduction — but UFT President Michael Mulgrew said the state’s revised funding formula used to calculate school aid hurt the city’s public schools and must be changed.