On the Record with Michael Mulgrew

The UFT is restarting its podcast, "On the Record with Michael Mulgrew" on Sept. 22. We'll be talking about the new small class size law, the on-going fight against school budget cuts and stories about the great work UFT members are doing. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

If teaching during this pandemic has taught us anything, it's that lowering class size is integral to keeping education sustainable for us and our students. We have always known that reducing class size is fundamental to student achievement, teacher retention and equitable schools, but it's now also become an issue of public health. At last, the City Council is considering a proposed landmark bill that would reduce classroom occupancy limits — and lower class sizes in every school in the years to come. On this special edition of 'On The Record With Michael Mulgrew', we're sharing highlights from the UFT's Class Size Town Hall on November 15th, 2021.

In this episode of “On the Record,” UFT President Michael Mulgrew outlines the union's five-point plan to use more than $1 billion in new federal COVID-19 relief funds to help New York City public school students overcome the pandemic’s impact on their academic and social-emotional health. Mulgrew is joined by three city educators.

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer joins UFT President Michael Mulgrew at a recent UFT virtual Town Hall to talk about the new administration, flipping the U.S. Senate and how to leverage this change to provide public schools the resources they need to deal with the trauma of the pandemic.

In the latest episode of “On the Record,” UFT President Michael Mulgrew joins UFT Vice President for Education Mary Vaccaro and Manhattan high school teacher Dominique Cistac to talk about the challenges of remote learning. This is part of an ongoing conversation about how to improve remote learning for both students and educators.

In this episode of “On the Record,” UFT President Michael Mulgrew joins AFT President Randi Weingarten and UFT Retired Teachers Chapter Leader Tom Murphy to discuss the role public school educators are playing in this year’s elections and how educators are sick of lip service and are demanding that their elected leaders support public education and respect the work they do.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew joins two of the union’s Albert Shanker Scholarship winners to talk about their experiences with remote learning, their future plans and social activism during the pandemic.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew joins U.S. Senator Charles Schumer to discuss what educators can do to help get the federal HEROES Act passed into law. This vital legislation, which must pass the U.S. Senate, would provide $1 trillion for vital state and local services, including $100 billion for public schools, at a time when the pandemic has blown a large hole in state and local budgets nationwide.

New York State Board of Regents Chancellor Betty Rosa, a UFT Teacher Center instructional coach and a New York City public school parent join UFT President Michael Mulgrew to discuss the first two months of remote learning and how educators and parents need to drive decisions about the shape that schooling will take in the fall.

In this latest episode of On the Record, President Michael Mulgrew talks to Meera Mangaroo of PS 18 in the Bronx, and Kirk Schneider of Urban Assembly Gateway School for Technology in Manhattan about how their schools and students are adapting to this new learning environment.  He also talks with Tina Puccio, Director of the Member Assistance Program, about new services available for members coping with the challenges of the current crisis.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew talks about the support and counseling services the union is offering UFT members to help them cope with the stress and anxiety triggered by the school shutdown and the coronavirus crisis. He and Tina Puccio, the director of the union’s Member Assistance Program (MAP), talk about the need to stay connected even when everyone is practicing social distancing. For more information about MAP, go to www.uft.org/MAP.www.uft.org/MAP.

In this special edition of On the Record, UFT President Michael Mulgrew talks about the steps the union has taken  during the coronavirus outbreak to help protect our members and communities. UFT industrial hygienist Jennifer Long joins the discussion to separate fact from fiction. Go to the new UFT info hub for additional information and protocols regarding the coronavirus.

New York City and New York State stand to lose billions of federal aid dollars if all New Yorkers aren’t counted in the upcoming 2020 Census. At risk is money for schools, roads, hospitals, public transit and other vital services. The count starts on March 12. In the first part of the UFT's latest podcast, UFT President Michael Mulgrew and the Rev. Henry Allen Belin of First AME Church: Bethel talk about how educators and faith communities are working together to get people counted. In the second part, Mulgrew and NYC Census Director Julie Menin talk about how to break through the fear and indifference people have about filling out their Census forms.

In the second of a two-part series, “Am I Patient #6?”, UFT President Michael Mulgrew talks with the union’s point person for nursing, Anne Goldman, about why the UFT is fighting for legislation that would set mandatory staffing levels for surgical, emergency, critical and acute care units. Too many New York hospitals cut corners on nurse staffing, with most patients not knowing their risk of injury or death rises when a nurse-to-patient ratio increases — by even one patient — beyond 1:5. 

Let’s say you land in a well-known New York hospital for a medical procedure or an emergency. The hospital is housed in an expensive, new building. You take for granted that there will be enough nurses on duty. You shouldn’t. Too many New York hospitals cut corners on nurse staffing, with most patients not knowing that their risk of injury or death rises when a nurse-to-patient ratio increases — by even one patient — beyond 1:5. In a two-part series, “Am I Patient #6?”, UFT President Michael Mulgrew hears from front-line ER nurse Howard Sandau about the dangers patients face when hospitals refuse to properly staff units, and the need for New York to pass a safe staffing law.

Teachers across the country are leading a labor resurgence as they fight for their students, their schools and their profession. Hear UFT President Michael Mulgrew and former New York Times labor reporter Steven Greenhouse discuss this movement as they talk about Greenhouse’s new book, “Beaten Down, Worked Up: The Past, Present and Future of American Labor” on the latest episode of “On the Record with Michael Mulgrew.”

How can we make teacher observations less intimidating and more meaningful? In this season’s first episode of “On the Record with Michael Mulgrew,” UFT President Michael Mulgrew talks with three New York City public school educators about ways teachers can take more control over their observations. The UFT recently negotiated needed changes to the teacher evaluation process, including reducing the minimum number of observations for most teachers to two a year. But real change, Mulgrew and his guests say, will only come when we change the culture around observations – when we see observations as an opportunity to have a conversation about educational practices between two professionals.

“On The Record with Michael Mulgrew” is back for its second season with all new episodes starting this September from UFT Podcasts.

On this episode of “On The Record,” UFT President Michael Mulgrew talks about the need for educators to find ways to recharge over the summer. And UFT Marketing Promotions Executive Lorrie-Ann Gheraldi discusses some fun summer deals available on the UFT Members App. To hear this or previous episodes, go to the UFT website, iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you listen to your podcasts. "On the Record" will return with new episodes this September.

This episode is dedicated to one of the founding members of the UFT, former President for Elementary schools Abe Levine. Abe was critical to the formation of this union and lived for this union and in service of his membership. On behalf of all the United Federation of Teachers, thank you Abe Levine for leading the way.

Aspiring doctors, lawyers, scientists and teachers were among the more than 180 students from New York City public high schools who received UFT college scholarships at the 50th Albert Shanker Scholarship Awards celebration this year. With special guest speaker New York State Attorney General Letitia James giving words of guidance, the students celebrated this pivotal moment in their lives as they prepared to embark for college.

Presidential contender? Check. Inspirational stories? Check. Serenade by the NYC Schools Chancellor? Check. This year’s UFT Spring Educational Conference had it all. Catch up on all the bochinche with the latest episode of “On the Record with Michael Mulgrew” available on the UFT website, iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Ever consider running for public office? Many UFT members have the skills our communities need, but they need a nudge to "stand up and run!" Listen to the latest edition of "On the Record with Michael Mulgrew” as the UFT president asks three dynamic members of the  New York State Assembly — Alicia Hyndman, Jaime Williams and Carmen de la Rosa — to share their stories about the journeys they made to elected office and the challenges they surmounted. 

Saddled with student loans? Unable to navigate the many loan forgiveness programs out there? You aren’t alone. The UFT has partnered with a new service and reputable law firm to help guide members every step of the way. UFT President Michael Mulgrew walks listeners through the Student Debt Relief Program, a new benefit for UFT members only, in the latest episode of On The Record, found on iTunes, Google Play or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

At a Bronx elementary school, suspensions and disciplinary incidents are down while student happiness, academics and parental engagement are up. How? By changing school culture. Hear more as UFT President Michael Mulgrew talks with the educators and the principal at PS 42 in the Bronx about the changes they made by bringing in resources and the joint UFT-DOE program known as the Positive Learning Collaborative.

Traditionally underserved schools in the Bronx, East New York, Brownsville and the Rockaways are getting a boost in the new Bronx Collaborative Schools Plan. Educators in these 50 schools will get to decide what their schools need to thrive — a sea change from the usual top-down decision making process in most public schools. Hear more as UFT President Michael Mulgrew and Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza talk about the ‘Bronx Plan’ and why it’s long overdue.

Thinking of starting — or expanding — your family? UFT President Michael Mulgrew discusses paid parental leave with Greer Hansen-Velazquez, who runs UFT parental leave workshops for the expectant mothers, new fathers and adoptive and foster parents who are all eligible for six weeks of paid time off with their new children thanks to this new benefit that the UFT negotiated with the city in 2018.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew and New York State Teacher of the Year Alhassan Susso, a Bronx social studies instructor, talk about the magic of teaching and what it takes to reach students. Listen to this latest On the Record podcast available on the UFT website, on iTunes, on Spotify, on Stitcher or on Google Play. 

The new DOE-UFT contract reduces the number of observations for the vast majority of teachers. In this episode of On the Record with Michael Mulgrew, the UFT president talks with PS 204K Chapter Leader and member of the contract negotiating team Trisha Arnold about the changes to the teacher evaluation system and how they will benefit teachers.

In this episode, United Federation of Teacher's President Michael Mulgrew interviews Brette McSweeney, President of Eleanor’s Legacy. They discuss The Baker Project and the effort to elect more Democratic women to office, particularly to the New York State Senate.

In this episode, United Federation of Teacher's President Michael Mulgrew gives the highlights of the new DOE-UFT contract.

On this episode, the United Federation of Teacher's President Michael Mulgrew is joined by UFT Vice-President Karen Alford to discuss the impact of the new contract on new teachers.

On this episode, the United Federation of Teacher's President Michael Mulgrew is joined by UFT Paraprofessional Chapter Leader Shelvy Young-Abrams to discuss the highlights and significance of the new contract with regards to paras.

On this episode, the United Federation of Teacher's President Michael Mulgrew discusses the new contract highlighting frequently asked questions by members.