The DOE-UFT contract gives educators an expedited procedure for addressing many workplace issues: the paperwork and operational issues resolution process.

A paperwork reduction process was first established in the 2014 contract. It worked so well that it was expanded in the 2018 contract to resolve issues involving curriculum, staff development committees, school safety and basic instructional supplies as well as adequate space and appropriate workloads for members of specific UFT functional chapters.

In the 2023 contract, the paperwork and operational issues process was expanded yet again to address even more workplace issues.

Here’s how the process works: The school chapter leader brings an issue to the principal’s attention in a one-on-one meeting, a consultation committee meeting or via email. The chapter leader is supposed to file an operational issues report that same day.

The principal and the chapter leader have five school days to resolve the issue. Otherwise, the issue can be escalated to the district level. The district operational committee, which includes the UFT district representative and the superintendent, then meets to try to resolve the issue. If still not resolved, the issue can be escalated to the central committee. From there, the union can file for arbitration for some issues.

Here are some of the new rights now covered by the operational issues resolution process:

• Responses to texts and emails: Educators and related service professionals must have a reasonable amount of time to respond to administrative communications. For example, educators cannot be required to respond to email or texts outside the contractual workday or during instructional time.
• Basic instructional supplies: Schools have long had a contractual obligation to provide textbooks, paper, testing materials and assessments. Under the new contract, staff must also now have access to electronic devices, printers, copiers, ink and toner to the extent necessary based on their assignments.
• Visits to evaluate a school or a principal: Educators cannot be compelled to create and prepare documents for the sole purpose of a quality review or other school evaluative visit, such as a principal’s performance review.
• Staff development committee: Each school (and program functioning as a school) must have a school-based staff development committee created by Nov. 1 that serves as an instructional leadership team in consultation with the principal. This committee discusses the PD during the PD block and all school-specific professional development conducted at the school.
• Functional staff development committee: Every UFT functional chapter must have a citywide functional chapter PD committee created by Nov. 1 to develop professional development programs that are relevant to the chapter’s duties and possible to prepare and complete within the existing workday of chapter members.
• SBOs: Chapter leaders may now use the operational issues resolution process to address a problem with the implementation of an approved school-based option.
• Pivot to remote: The contract outlines the appropriate use of the digital classroom and sets limits on what administrators can require employees to do in their digital classrooms.

If your administration is violating any of these rights, bring it to the attention of your chapter leader. Chapter leaders can raise the issue with the principal, and, thanks to the escalation steps in the operational issues resolution process, members can expect a speedy resolution.