Teachers union president Mulgrew wins re-election by his slimmest margin yet

Michael Mulgrew was re-elected the United Federation of Lecturers president on Wednesday evening — by an unusually small majority.

The town’s lecturers union mentioned Mulgrew had acquired 66.3 % of the votes counted by late Wednesday, whereas his closest competitor, United For Change candidate Camille Eterno, acquired 33.6%.

It was the slimmest margin since Mulgrew’s first run greater than a decade in the past, the training nonprofit Chalkbeat first reported.

“I'm honored that — after a few very tough years for the colleges and for our members — I've been re-elected,” Mulgrew mentioned in a press release. 

“I sit up for working with your complete UFT to make sure that the college system features properly for everybody — staff, youngsters and their households.”

Within the final election, Mulgrew netted 86% of the general vote in 2019 — earlier than pandemic-era faculty closures and studying loss, and the tensions that got here with navigating well being and security protocols whereas the virus was at its top.

A coalition of blocs uniting to overhaul Mulgrew could have additionally bit into the incumbent’s benefit. Known as “United for Change,” the faction included progressive teams just like the Motion for Rank and File Educators in addition to centrist blocs like UFT Solidarity.

President of the United Federation of Teachers Michael Mulgrew speaking to reporters about schools legislation at City Hall Park, thursday
A metropolis lecturers’ faction known as “United for Change” tried to overhaul Mulgrew.
William Farrington

Mulgrew additionally stirred the pot with some retirees when he supported a metropolis plan to maneuver them to privatized medical health insurance. Retirees are incessantly the most activated base of voters in UFT elections, however some moved to block the shift that they deemed “inferior.”

Simply 26 % of ballots despatched to members’ houses have been returned, in response to the UFT. All UFT members can vote for president, together with those that are retired capped at 23,500 folks.

Mulgrew was elected to his first full president’s time period in 2010.

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