NYSUT President Karen E. Magee (pictured) welcomed the United Federation of Teachers' 670 delegates to the statewide union's 43rd annual Representative Assembly in Buffalo and praised them for their ongoing fight against Gov. Andrew Cuomo's destructive public education agenda.
"Thank you for your advocacy and for moving the resolutions forward" at the RA, Magee said at the UFT breakfast Friday morning before the RA's opening afternoon session. "Thank you for being an amazing and integral part of the work we do."
The success of that work is evident in the falling poll numbers for "the man who is trying to destroy public education" – Gov. Cuomo, she said.
UFT President Michael Mulgrew reminded his local's delegates that the UFT is a seasoned and smart fighter against attacks on public education.
The union had to battle former Mayor Bloomberg for 12 years, and before him, former Mayor Rudy Guiliani, Mulgrew said.
Similarly with the governor, "if he wants to play with the hedge fund boys and girls," then we have to make sure that the public knows the true motives behind his toxic agenda for public schools, Mulgrew said. "And we have done that."
As the UFT continues working to ensure fairness for public schools and educators at the state level, it is also implementing its new contract to improve education in New York City schools.
"We will always continue on this path to strengthen public education in New York City," Mulgrew said.