Your union is busy — but never too busy to hear from its members. That’s why the UFT this summer opened its new contact center, so UFT members can get accurate information quickly and efficiently about their union rights and benefits.

The UFT contact center is members’ gateway to information about their contractual rights and union-negotiated benefits, including their pensions, their health benefits and the UFT’s wide array of professional development offerings.

“Our top priority is to provide members with top-notch service, whether they call the union, walk into a borough office or attend an informational meeting,” said UFT President Michael Mulgrew.

Members who call the union will immediately speak to one of a team of trained UFT staffers who will answer the most commonly asked questions. For more complicated questions or questions that require personal attention, the contact center staff will transfer the call to a representative in the appropriate union department and will stay on the line while transferring the call.

The union recognizes that its members’ time is valuable. Therefore, callers will also have the option, if they don’t have time to remain on hold waiting for a specialist to handle their call, to leave a callback number. A specialist will then return the call and members will retain their place in line.

Members seeking pension appointments should call the main number for DOE members and will be connected to the UFT borough office of their choice for their consultation.

In addition to the four new contact center numbers [see box], members can continue to call the UFT Welfare Fund at 212-539-0500 if they have a question about their supplemental health benefits, including prescription drugs, dental and optical benefits. Members can access online health benefit forms on the UFT website or call the Welfare Fund’s 24-hour forms hotline at 212-539-0539 to order a form.

Many of the prior UFT phone numbers, including the numbers for the five UFT borough offices, will still work, but they will be routed to the call center.