Though I’ve been retired for several years, the school calendar still shapes the rhythm and pace of my life. Jan. 1? In my mind, that’s the end of the winter break. The day after Labor Day? That’s the real start of the new year. No matter what I’m up to, no matter where I am, I feel the school calendar in my bones, from the arrival of the students on Day 1 to the last day of summer vacation.

Speaking of summer vacation, the new RTC officers and I spent much of ours meeting the UFT personnel who run the programs and services that UFT retirees depend on. Everyone has been wonderfully collaborative, and we are grateful for their help.

Our chapter’s voice is more powerful than it’s ever been, and the RTC is poised to be more active and engaged than ever before. Longtime retirees’ wisdom and experience combined with newer members’ energy and ideas is a winning recipe for protecting and improving our benefits.

Committees will be formed and restructured. A new RTC health care committee will explore multiple facets of the health care issue and provide us with updates on the status of the lawsuits and politics behind the issue. And we will form a committee to organize retirees to take part in labor actions on short notice — a pool of labor activists ready to help on local picket lines and at labor rallies.

We’ll also restructure RTC meetings to allow for more input from our members and genuine participation in the chapter’s decision-making process. The new RTC will go where our members take us. We are also exploring options for hybrid voting during RTC meetings. Presentations about UFT benefits and services will always be an important part of our meetings, but now we will provide greater opportunity for questions, comments and announcements.

A positive development in the wake of the RTC election is UFT President Michael Mulgrew’s withdrawal of his support for the joint MLC-NYC Medicare Advantage plan for Medicare-eligible New York City retirees. (He also withdrew the UFT from the ongoing health care negotiations for the city’s in-service employees.)

I welcome those developments, but we need to go further. At the June RTC meeting, AFT President Randi Weingarten told us that she supports national legislation to prevent the diminishment of traditional Medicare. I want to see the UFT do the same on the local and state levels. We’ve already withdrawn our support for the city’s Medicare Advantage plan, so let’s actively support the lawsuits that are facing legal appeals from the city. Let’s support the lawsuits with amicus briefs, and let’s support bills in Albany and New York City that serve the same intent.

Our first general membership meeting is scheduled for Oct. 22. Before that date, our “daytime army” will already be at work on the campaign trail in New York State and around the country. Our chapter’s political outreach operations will be of critical importance in this 2024 federal election cycle. We’ve got a lot of work to do supporting our union-endorsed candidates not only on the national ticket, but also on congressional ballots here in New York State. We’ll be getting out the vote for these candidates who support labor rights, women’s health care rights and gender equity rights and who believe in keeping the “public” in public education.

Welcome back from “summer vacation,” and welcome to the new RTC!