NAC-UFT launches school chapter election mobilization campaign
This spring, UFT members will once again be electing their union representatives at the school level and for functional chapters.
Every three years, each individual school elects its chapter leader, delegate(s), paraprofessional representative. Functional chapters and retirees also elect their representatives around the same time.
All UFT members have a right to run for office, nominate other members and vote for candidates. Union representatives will be responsible for supporting and informing members; communicating members’ views, priorities and ideas to the union; and representing members at the Delegate Assembly, the union’s highest decision-making body.
While, to my knowledge, our union leadership hasn’t yet announced the dates for these elections, typically they share election details and processes by April.
To this end, New Action/UFT’s experienced network of chapter leaders, delegates and organizers wants to partner with you to mobilize for your school chapter’s election.
New Action is a community of union proud and union strong UFT members.
Join us in the fight for a better, mighty union. Together.
Connect with us. To learn more go to: abetterunion.newaction.org
Also check us out on …
Facebook: facebook.com/newactionuft
X/Twitter: x.com/newactionuft
Instagram: instagram.com/newactionuft
WhatsApp: tinyurl.com/nacwhatsapp
A note from Nick: At the chapter level, no matter how good the contract is on paper, our contractual rights are only real if we enforce them. At the citywide level, our union policy is only strong if the delegates of our many chapters compel UFT leadership to make it so. Good chapter leaders, who take the time to learn the contract and are willing to go to bat for any and all of their members, are critical to making sure our rights are enforced, serving what are essentially the union forms of both judicial and executive functions. In addition, chapter leaders and UFT delegates both serve a legislative function – to set union policy, at least in the few fleeting moments when UFT leadership allows an earnest debate and vote. To that end, we need delegates who come ready to introduce or debate resolutions that matter, even when that means standing up to UFT leadership. If you want to represent your chapter, either at the school level or at the citywide level, talk to us at NAC. We have decades worth of experience to offer.
Nick Bacon
Nick Bacon is a co-chairperson at New Action Caucus. He is also an elected member of the UFT executive board
Bronx Public Teacher
A key item to address is whether a prospective chapter leader is a member of Unity or any other caucus. Teachers have a right to know what union policies their chapter leader will be supporting. In the case of Unity, prospective chapter leaders will be expected to “sell” Unity propaganda at the chapter level. My guess is that thousands of teachers do not know if their chapter leader is a Unity member who is just spewing what Mulgrew tells them. Additionally, chapter members have a right to know which caucus any prospective or current chapter level belongs to. Each caucus has websites that detail core beliefs and lists caucus priorities.