Labor Issues
Huge education benefits expected under Biden
With President-elect Joe Biden and the soon-to-be first lady, teacher Jill Biden, in the White House, sweeping changes in U.S. education policy may be on the horizon.
Safety first
The UFT’s 50-point school safety plan remains essential for students and staff working in school buildings. The DOE agreed to the plan as a condition of reopening the schools, but we need your help to keep our workplaces safe.
Outcry over Amazon bid to hire anti-union monitors
Amazon posted two job listings over the summer for intelligence analysts in charge of monitoring “labor organizing threats” inside the company. After the job posts went viral on social media, eliciting backlash from workers’ rights advocates, Amazon withdrew the listings on Sept. 1.
Pandemic threatens to exacerbate teacher shortage
The ongoing pandemic and deepening recession are throwing new challenges at school districts trying to stanch teacher shortages across the country.
Members win discrimination suit
The New York City Department of Education has agreed to pay nearly $1.2 million to three African American teachers and an assistant principal to settle both a federal civil rights lawsuit brought by the U.S. Attorney as well as individual lawsuits brought by the affected employees.
Strike averted as mayor blinks
After days of nonstop negotiations and with the threat of a UFT strike looming, the mayor on Sept. 1 agreed to the demands of the union to postpone the start of in-person classes to ensure school buildings pass the UFT’s safety checklist.