UFT Exec Board Meeting Notes 2/24/25
April Para Respect Rally, Fix Tier 6, Class Size Law Funding, April 1st deadline for Child Abuse and Maltreatment/Neglect Workshop, Setting the record straight on TRS false information,
Chairperson for Executive Board: Leroy Barr
Report Period:
Mary Vaccaro's Report: Child Abuse/Neglect Workshop Deadline Approaching - April 1st, 2025
Link to workshops hosted by UFT (more date on the way)
April 1st deadline for mandatory child abuse/neglect workshops. The Teacher Center is providing these workshops, processing a large volume of participants (1,000 at a time). A key advantage of taking the workshop through the Teacher Center is that they handle the uploading of completion data directly to the individual's "teach" account at the State level. This removes the burden from the educator needing to do it themselves from other providers. If educators take the workshop through other providers, they are responsible for uploading their completion certificates themselves. Many educators are mistakenly believing that the Teacher Center can upload certificates from external providers. While the Teacher Center will offer support with screenshots and guidance on how to upload externally obtained certificates, they cannot perform the upload itself. The Teacher Center retains certificates for those who complete the workshop with them, providing a safety net in case of issues. Vaccaro acknowledged that some educators may have had difficulty registering for classes due to high demand. She encouraged educators to continue trying to register or to contact her via email for assistance in securing a spot in a future class. She explicitly stated that, at this time, there is no plan to extend the April 1st deadline.
Leo Gordon's Report: Consolidated CTE Application and CTE Awards
Gordon discussed the consolidated application for CTE (Career and Technical Education) funding, which combines three previously separate applications: regular CTE funding (Perkins), climate funding for apprenticeships, and Future Ready NYC. The application was released between March 3rd and 7th, depending on the district. The goal of consolidation was to simplify the process, but it initially caused confusion among educators. The original deadline was extended from the 14th to the 26th of the month. Gordon offered to check on the status of individual school applications via email. Gordon announced the upcoming CTE Awards event, which had doubled in size this year. The event was at full capacity. He requested that anyone who had registered but could no longer attend due to illness or other reasons should contact him to free up seats for others.
Presidents Report from President Michael Mulgrew:
City Politics:
Mulgrew dismissed the current political climate with the mayor as "ridiculous" and a distraction.
The union is advancing its paraprofessional bill and planning a rally in early April. (Sign and share UFT petition for Para Respect Check)
State Budget:
The state budget process is ongoing, with UFT’s focus on Tier 6 pension reform and securing adequate education funding, particularly for class size reduction.
A positive development is that class size funding will be allocated directly to schools earlier, fostering competition in teacher hiring.
NYU Nurses' Strike:
The UFT is engaged in "horrible" contract negotiations with NYU Langone Brooklyn, marked by numerous grievances and a "toxic" work environment.
A strike is imminent if an agreement is not reached by Saturday morning, with UFT leadership pledging full support and participation on the picket lines.
Michael emphasized the necessity of total union solidarity, and that the UFT leadership will be the first ones on the picket lines.
Editor’s note: since the Exec Board meeting a tentative agreement has been reached and will be voted upon by the members of the Federation of Nurses/UFT at Brooklyn Langone later this week.
Mulgrew stressed the importance of unity and action in the face of political and contractual challenges. He highlighted the UFT's commitment to advocating for its members' rights and improving working conditions.
Question Period
Nick Bacon: High School Executive Board, raised concerns about a proposal circulating that suggested borrowing money from teacher pensions as part of new budget negotiations. He sought clarification on the nature of the proposal and inquired about the union's efforts to address it. He stressed that there was a lot of misinformation being spread, and asked for clarification.
Tom Brown, Assistant Treasurer of the UFT, Executive Board member, and Chairman of the Board of Teachers' Retirement System (TRS), emphatically denied any borrowing from the pension system. He stated that the information was inaccurate. Brown explained that the issue stemmed from a previous actuary who had overstated the city's actuarially required contributions to the pension fund. The current actuary proposed a "smoothing out" process over the next 20 years to mitigate volatility in the pension system. This process would adjust the required contributions without affecting the benefits of current or future retirees. Tom Brown reassured members that the proposed adjustments would not impact the calculation or payment of pensions. Brown expressed frustration with the spread of misinformation, particularly on social media like Facebook and through rumor. He reiterated that he and the other trustees have a legal and ethical duty to protect the pension fund. The concerns about borrowing from pensions were based on misinformation. TRS trustees are committed to safeguarding the pension fund. UFT members should seek out correct information from reliable sources. Brown clarified that the pension fund is protected by the New York State Constitution. He outlined the responsibilities of TRS trustees:
Overseeing TRS management.
Overseeing investments (which he provided the amount of the funds)
Overseeing benefit distribution.
Edward Calamia, from the High School Executive Board, inquired about the planned action to support the NYU nurses in Manhattan. The response confirmed that nurses would be leafleting at various locations. It was explained that the action would occur in the afternoon, after school hours.
Adam Shapiro, from the Elementary School Executive Board, thanked Mary Vaccaro and the Teacher Center for their collaboration in hosting a child abuse workshop in District 21. The workshop was conducted as a webinar and quickly reached its capacity of 1,000 participants.
Event Announcements:
Dominican Heritage Month Celebration in Queens, organized by the AFT Latino Caucus. The event will feature dinner, a movie ("In the Time of the Butterflies"), and book giveaways. Special attention was given to the bookmarks, with a drink recipe and a Padlet link for educational resources.
21st annual School Counselors Conference scheduled for March 22nd at Shanker Hall. The conference will offer workshops, speakers, and raffle prizes.
Black History Film Series: Screening of "Loudest County and Black Power," a film about young activists in the 1960s. The screening will take place on Thursday, and registration is still open.
Herstory Event (Women's History Month): 7th annual Herstory event, celebrating Women's History Month. All are invited to the event, themed "Honoring the Past, Shaping the Future," It will be held in the Bronx on March 15th. Featuring brunch, mentorship celebrations, pampering by cosmetology students, and keynote speakers. The event will also celebrate the UFT's birthday.
AFT Latino Caucus Events:
The Maria Portlatino National Freedom Scholarship, has an April 18th deadline.
A panel discussion will be held on protecting undocumented students and families, featuring prominent speakers, on March 27th in the Bronx.
National Social Workers Appreciation Month and next week is national school social work week.
Legislative Report:
Anthony Harmon thanked the UFT's political director and leadership for sending a delegation to the New York State Black and Puerto Rican Legislative Caucus in Albany. He highlighted the delegates' dedication to advocating for issues like fixing Tier 6 and further trips to Albany for lobbying.
March 3rd and 4th lobbying with the Committee of 100.
March 7th and 9th, attendance at the Albany Somos Caucus Conference, where Vice President General Hans will be honored.
March 10th, UFT Albany Lobby Day.