Teacher Pay Scale Falls Short Under Unity Caucus Leadership (by Anthony Segreti)

The teaching profession, regarded as one of the cornerstones of a society, is plagued by inadequate compensation. For years, teachers have sounded the alarm about stagnant wages and shrinking purchasing power, but these warnings have largely fallen on deaf ears. The Unity Caucus, which has long dominated the leadership of the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), has failed to negotiate contracts that adequately address these concerns. As a result, the teacher pay scale not only fails to meet the needs of current educators but also does little to attract and retain new teachers.

The Current Reality for Teachers

Educators in New York City face a unique set of challenges. The city’s high cost of living, combined with the increasing demands of the job, places an enormous strain on teachers. Despite these realities, teacher salaries have not kept pace with inflation or the rising costs of housing, childcare, and other essentials. Many teachers work second jobs or rely on supplemental income to make ends meet, a reality that is disheartening for professionals with advanced degrees and specialized training.

While the Unity Caucus has touted incremental raises in past contracts, these increases often fall short of what is necessary to close the wage gap with other professions requiring similar levels of education and expertise. For example, early-career teachers struggle to afford basic expenses, leading many to leave the profession within the first five years—a loss that destabilizes schools and disrupts student learning.

Impact on Recruitment and Retention

The inadequacy of the pay scale is not just a problem for current educators—it is a major deterrent for prospective teachers. Teaching in New York City is a demanding job, and without competitive salaries, fewer college graduates are choosing to enter the profession. Even more concerning, veteran teachers are leaving the field in droves, citing burnout and financial insecurity as primary reasons.

This exodus exacerbates a worsening teacher shortage, leaving schools understaffed and forcing remaining educators to take on heavier workloads. This, in turn, creates a vicious cycle: low pay and poor working conditions discourage new teachers from entering the field, and the lack of staffing resources places even greater strain on those who remain. Everyone knows that teacher working conditions are also the students’ learning conditions. How in the world does the city plan to come into compliance with the New York City Class Size Law if their workforce is shrinking and they cannot attract and retain quality educators? Would they lower the standards for securing a license and short-change our students by allowing teacher quality slip?

Unity Caucus Leadership: A Legacy of Complacency

The Unity Caucus has repeatedly claimed that the contracts it negotiates represent the best deal possible, but these claims ring hollow for many educators. Contract after contract, Unity has accepted minimal raises while ignoring the larger systemic issues contributing to the financial strain on teachers. They have failed to leverage the union’s power to aggressively demand more meaningful improvements, instead settling for agreements that provide temporary relief (like spring bonus payments) but no long-term solutions. Does anyone remember how our current contract was presented to us in late June of 2023? Mere weeks before the school year ended and when everyone was feeling the pain of a prolonged period of time without a pay raise. That is when Unity decided to present us a contract that included sub-inflation salary increases? This is weak leadership and a failure to listen to the members and deliver a contract we would be happy to ratify.

This complacency has fueled frustration among rank-and-file members. Alternative caucuses within the UFT have gained traction recently, advocating for stronger, more aggressive demands during contract negotiations and calling for greater transparency and accountability from union leadership. Last year, the Retiree Advocate Caucus stunningly upset the longtime incumbent by winning leadership of the Retired Teachers Chapter, indicating a shift toward new, non-Unity affiliated leadership. Retiree Advocate Caucus, Movement of Rank and File Educators (MORE) Caucus, and New Action Caucus have formed a coalition slate (ARISE-UFT) that will run in this year’s election to transform the UFT into a union that one, hears its members and doesn’t stifle discussion, and two, is effective and gets results! No more cozying up with politicians (like Mayor Eric Adams) who only want to squeeze what they can out of our members while paying bottom dollar! 

The Way Forward

To address these challenges, the UFT must demand a pay scale that truly reflects the value of educators. This includes:

1. Substantial Salary Increases: One large salary reset that brings the entire profession up to a compensation that reflects the value we provide the community. After that, raises that outpace inflation and provide teachers with a living wage and upward economic mobility. The average rent for apartments in NYC has teachers often paying much more than the recommended 30% of income on housing and this is plain wrong. The compensation should be such that a teacher can afford to live in the community they serve.
2. Shorter Longevity Pay Milestones: The longevity bumps are meaningful increases for veteran educators to recognize their experience and contributions, however, it takes far too long to reach them. It currently takes 23 years for a teacher to begin earning their highest possible salary. For comparison, the negotiated NYPD salary schedule sees officers reaching their top salary in the middle of their 5th year of service.

The Unity Caucus has had decades to address these issues, yet their track record shows a lack of bold action. It is time for a new approach—one that prioritizes the financial well-being of educators and recognizes the critical role they play in shaping the future.

In 2025, teachers must demand more from their union leadership, especially as we gear up for contract negotiations in 2027, which will be here before we know it. The fight for fair pay is not just about economics—it is about valuing the profession and ensuring that the best and brightest continue to enter and remain in the field. Only then can we be an education system that truly serves students, teachers, and the community. Vote for the ARISE slate in this year’s UFT election.