UFT Paras’ new survey measuring calls for a LIVING WAGE and a FAIR CONTRACT goes viral
After over 2500 members petitioned UFT leadership and the City to address low para pay, unfair para pay structures and conditions, a new, viral survey measures outcry more deeply.
Less than 3 weeks ago, a member-driven group of union strong and union proud paras, along with other UFT members, launched a petition calling on union leadership and the City of New York to address their growing clamor for a living wage and a fair contract for New York City’s public schools’ paraprofessionals.
This week, they’ve launched an online survey to measure the swelling discontent with the status quo and the lack of any meaningful action around these issues by UFT President Michael Mulgrew, his Unity leadership caucus and the Mayor Adams administration.
The survey has gone viral. Scores and scores of paras and other union members have chimed with their opinions by responding to the FIX PARA PAY survey within minutes of its publication.
The survey published by UFT PARAS FOR A FAIR CONTRACT asks 2 questions to all UFT members about the necessity for a fair living wage for paras. The other remaining 7 questions specifically query NYC paraprofessionals about their current pay and working conditions.
NYC and other UFT titles, including UFT retirees, are encouraged to complete this ongoing survey.
Two para respondents who complete this survey will randomly win a $50 Amazon gift card. The 2 winners will be announced by UFT PARAS FOR A FAIR CONTRACT on Friday, May 3rd, 2024.
FIX PARA PAY UPDATES AND MORE ACTIONS
The FIX PARA PAY petition, thus far, has garnered over 2500 union signatories. It calls for lobbying for legislation and to develop a robust, comprehensive collective bargaining plan to address demands about better para pay and conditions. An overwhelming majority of those who have signed on to the petition are our union’s hardworking paraprofessionals. This despite Mulgrew’s top leadership gutting a member-driven executive board resolution, and a subsequent delegate assembly amendment, that demands for collective bargaining action in addition to lobbying politicians.
If you haven’t signed the petition already, we encourage you to sign it to let Mulgrew know we all stand strong alongside our city’s paraprofessionals. Please sign and share the petition here.
In addition, the UFT Paras for A Fair Contract coalition will soon announce its picks of endorsed para executive board/para representative candidates running for the para chapter election. The para chapter election ballots will be mailed out soon. The para chapter election, like the retiree chapter election, will take place from about May 9 to June 13.
In the upcoming school and functional chapter elections, we urge you to vote for like-minded union members that are pursuing meaningful change and not beholden to Mulgrew’s stagnant whims.
There are a couple of virtual town halls scheduled where you can meet our candidates and share your voice, a rally with stakeholders, and other local school-based actions that will be taking place in the coming weeks to demand a fair living wage and a fair contract for paras.
To stay updated about this fight and to join this movement of everyday, hard-working educators who are just like you, subscribe to the UFT Paras mailing list here.
You can also follow UFT Paras For A Fair Contract on Facebook and Instagram. Also, be sure to share the survey, petition and the FIX PARA PAY website with all of your fellow union colleagues.
Educators of NYC: It’s Time for A Better UFT
We cannot remain silent any longer. We must save our union from the systemic apathy and rot that Mulgrew’s leadership has fostered.
As a union family, we must look beyond our caucuses, factional rancor, individual ideologies, and business as usual machine politics to UNITE in solidarity for change.
We must be that elusive change we seek. We can and must do better.
We must join our rightful place among workers that are making big, historic gains nationwide.
These are not trite words but rather a wake up call to rise up against an existential threat that seeks to keep us all lulled into complacency and slumber for personal gain.
We can no longer settle for the sub-inflation raises, diminished healthcare and retirement/pension benefits, deteriorating work conditions, cronyism, and back-room side deals with abusive management and administrators.
A better union starts with us fighting alongside UFT para-educators and retirees in our ranks who have been overlooked, underserved and taken advantage of.
Join this movement for a better UFT!
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The current leadership of the UFT has relied on dividing the membership in order to remain in power. The pay disparity between newly hired and senior teachers is one example. The disparity between paras and teachers is obscene. A living wage for all members should be the concern of all.