School related professionals play an essential role in supporting the varied needs of students. This issue of the New York Teacher is dedicated to these UFT members. They number more than 46,000 in total in the New York City public school system and belong to 23 Department of Education titles, from school counselors to sign language interpreters. The union organized these school related professionals into what the union calls functional chapters (headed by chapter leaders, pictured below) because what unites the members in each group is their job or function.

In addition to its DOE functional chapters, the UFT has two functional chapters with municipal employees: NYPD-employed supervisors of school security and city-employed per-session hearing officers (also known as administrative law judges). The UFT also has functional chapters for its members in private-sector and nonprofit bargaining units, including the Adapt Community Network, the Block Institute, the various chapters within the Federation of Nurses/UFT and the union’s Family Child Care Providers Chapter.

What is a functional chapter?

Functional chapters are made up of UFT members who perform a particular job rather than work together at a school or worksite. Functional chapters were formed to allow UFT members with common issues and concerns to have a voice on the job.

Do functional chapters have their own contracts and their own chapter leaders?

Many functional chapters have their own DOE-UFT contracts. Functional chapter members elect a citywide chapter leader to represent them. School-based functional chapter members also belong to a school chapter and vote for a school chapter leader. Therefore, school-based functional chapter members receive support from their school chapter leader and their functional chapter leader.

What’s the largest functional chapter in the UFT?

The largest in-service functional chapter, by far, is the Paraprofessionals Chapter, which has 26,000 members.

What is the role of the functional chapter leader?

Functional chapter leaders advocate for the common concerns of their members and handle individual and citywide issues confronting members. Functional chapter leaders serve three-year terms and are elected at the same time as school chapter leaders.

How can I find out more about my functional chapter?

Functional chapters have their own sections on the UFT website under “chapters.” If you aren’t receiving email from your functional chapter leader, please sign up for a website account or, if you already have an account, log in to the UFT website, go to “my account,” click “edit,” scroll down and select “Subscribe to receive UFT emails.”

If you have any questions about your contract, your workplace rights, your health benefits or union-provided professional development as a functional chapter member, call the UFT at 212-331-6312.