UNITY Caucus

Amid the fiscal uncertainty of the pandemic, UNITY/UFT secured hard won financial benefits for UFT members:

• No layoffs of school personnel throughout the pandemic
• Ensured that the City paid the lump sum owed to UFT members
• Ensured that the City paid the 3% contractual raise owed to UFT members
• A spring break arbitration decision in the UFT’s favor that grants one one vacation day (something we never had before) for each of the seven days we were required to work during spring recess 2020

Over the course of the pandemic UNITY/UFT protected the health and safety of UFT members:

• A citywide vaccination program with priority for UFT members
• Access to at-home rapid test kits
• Physician-approved safety protocols
• PCR testing in the schools
• Paid time off for booster shots and vaccinating children
• School safety inspections and distribution of PPE at every school
• Upgrades to school ventilation systems
• Enhanced cleaning protocols

UNITY/UFT honors our Union’s strong, decades-long commitment to members of the UFT Retirees Chapter:

• Wellness check-ins conducted by phone with retiree members throughout the pandemic
• Providing social services to counsel and care for retiree members and their families, including those impacted by COVID
• Preserving and enhancing retiree benefits
• A new healthcare option with safeguards to protect against skyrocketing costs
• An expedition claims process and increased reimbursements for SHIP
• Three new UFT Welfare Fund benefit enhancements
  • Increased optical plan reimbursements
  • Increased reimbursement for hearing aids
  • Increased retiree optional rider reimbursements