Chapter Leader UpdateSept. 3, 2025

Cellphone ban in schools takes effect

The new academic year marks the start of the statewide bell-to-bell ban on cellphones and any other internet-enabled electronic communication devices in schools or on school grounds. The ban, which will be in place for the entirety of the school day, includes phones, earbuds, smartwatches, laptops, tablets and portable entertainment systems. The city's Panel for Educational Policy adopted the chancellor's regulations on the new state law in late July, and schools had a deadline of early August to submit their implementation plans after consulting with the school leadership team. The UFT and its state affiliate, NYSUT, successfully lobbied state lawmakers for the bell-to-bell restriction and for the ban to be implemented in such a way that educators would not be responsible for collecting, returning, confiscating or holding student devices. Here is the DOE's guidance on its cellphone policy. If you have any issues or concerns with how your administration is implementing the cellphone ban at your school, please contact your UFT district representative and your borough's UFT safety liaison for support.

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3.25% increase takes effect on Sept. 14

The salaries of UFT-represented employees will increase by 3.25% effective Sept. 14 — the second pay increase in 2025 — as a result of the wage increases that the UFT negotiated in its most recent collective bargaining agreement with the Department of Education. The per-diem, per-session and coverage pay rates will also rise on that date. For teachers, the new per-session rate will be $60.91 and the new coverage rate will be $51.19. The daily rate for per-diem teachers increases to $224.83.

Members will see the raise in their paychecks as follows:

• Q-bank members (pedagogues, paraprofessionals and substitute paraprofessionals): starting with their Sept. 30 paycheck.
• H/Z bank members (including occupational and physical therapists and school nurses): starting with their Sept. 26 paycheck.
• Per-diem/per-session pedagogues: starting with their Oct. 1 paycheck.

Where applicable, paychecks will include arrears back to Sept. 14.

Comprehensive info on the proposed health care plan

A special Delegate Assembly is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 29, for delegates to vote on the New York City Employees PPO Plan (NYCE PPO), the proposed city health care plan that would replace the GHI CBP plan. HIP HMO, Senior Care and other city health plans would not be affected. This proposed plan expands our network of providers and scope of benefits, increases access to mental health care, protects us from rising copays and locks in premium-free coverage for five years. We are committed to providing you with all the information you need to assess the plan prior to the vote. If you missed the Sept. 2 online health care information session for delegates and chapter leaders, you can view the PowerPoint presentation from the meeting, the plan FAQs and this helpful comparison chart. The member-led UFT Health Care Committee voted on Aug. 28 to recommend the proposed plan to the Delegate Assembly. The UFT will ultimately cast its vote on the proposed plan in the Municipal Labor Committee (MLC) in line with the DA's vote. The UFT will hold an information session for all members on Tuesday, Sept. 9. Members should have received their email invitation earlier in the day.

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New state law regulating heat in schools takes effect

A new state law that the UFT and NYSUT lobbied hard for establishes maximum allowable temperatures in classrooms and support service spaces. The law, which took effect on Sept. 1, states that when classroom temperatures reach 82 degrees, schools must take action to alleviate heat-related discomfort. These interventions may include turning off lights and unused electronics, lowering blinds or shades, using fans, opening windows or doors, providing water breaks, checking HVAC systems or relocating classes. Under the new law, the maximum allowable temperature in a classroom or support service space is 88 degrees. If the temperature in a room exceeds 88 degrees, the school must have a plan to relocate students and staff where practicable. You can read the DOE's full policy on extreme heat on its website. If your principal is not complying with the policy, reach out to your district representative and your UFT environmental safety liaison for support.

Report class size data to your district rep on Sept. 11 and 17

We negotiated powerful new provisions in the 2018 DOE-UFT contract that have provided teachers and their students much faster relief if classes exceed contractual class size limits at the start of the school year. Chapter leaders continue to play a central role in the process, which is separate and apart from implementation of the state's class size law. We need you to report class size data in your school to your UFT district representative on Day 6 (Thursday, Sept. 11), Day 10 (Wednesday, Sept. 17), Day 14 (Thursday, Sept. 25) and Day 19 (Friday, Oct. 3). Please obtain your school's RACL (elementary or middle schools) or Master Schedule Final (high schools), which indicates class sizes on these dates. For classes that exceed contractual limits, you have 10 school days to try to come to an informal resolution with your principal. But instead of going directly to arbitration after that, most unresolved cases now go to your district representative and the superintendent to tackle. On the 21st day, unresolved cases escalate a step higher to the citywide Class Size Labor-Management Committee.

The 2018 contract created a special additional step for schools that are "chronically out of compliance," defined as having oversized classes for four of the past six school years. We are collecting class size data on Day 1 (this Thursday, Sept. 4) for these schools only this year. These schools are escalated to the Class Size Labor-Management Committee once the overages are reported to the union. If the Class Size Labor-Management Committee cannot resolve the issue, the case is scheduled for expedited arbitration as soon as 10 days later — and no later than the 34th school day of the term. The arbitrator can issue a binding remedy within five school days that the DOE must implement in five school days.

Action you need to take: Send the class size data for your school on Days 6, 10, 14 and 19 of the new school year to your UFT district rep. Reach out to your district rep if you have any questions.

See you at the Labor Parade this Saturday

We will be a sea of UFT blue this Saturday, Sept. 6, at the annual Labor Parade. This year's theme is Power in Unity. Let's make the UFT's presence felt as we march with other city unions in a demonstration of the vitality and importance of the labor movement. At our assembly point in midtown Manhattan, we'll enjoy music from a DJ and free food from food trucks. Later that morning, we'll begin our march up Fifth Avenue to the end point at East 66th Street. You must pre-register. Each registrant will receive a wristband, access to free food and drink and a UFT T-shirt.

Action your chapter can take: Use the hashtags #LDP2025 and #UnionProud and tag the UFT when you post your own photos from the parade on social media.