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NYC teachers union endorses Mamdani for Mayor
The UFT cited Mamdani’s alignment with the union’s key legislative priorities as the reason for their support.
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Malvika Choudhary - Wed, 09, Jul 2025
- 15:52 EDT
- 29
Zohran Mamdani at Albert Shanker Hall / X (United Federation of Teachers)
The United Federation of Teachers (UFT), representing nearly 200,000 New York City educators, paraprofessionals, counselors, and support staff, endorsed Zohran Mamdani for the upcoming November mayoral election.
The endorsement, approved by the UFT Delegate Assembly on July 8, marks a significant development in the Democratic race and a boost for Mamdani’s progressive campaign.
Also Read: New York nurses endorse Mamdani for Mayor
The UFT cited Mamdani’s alignment with the union’s key legislative priorities as the reason for their support. “UFT delegates voted to endorse Mamdani because they believe he is the best candidate in the race to advance our union’s agenda: to protect our premium-free health care, fix Tier 6, pass the ‘RESPECT check’ bill, implement the class size law, revamp mayoral control and more,” the union said in a statement on X.
We can deliver affordability and fight authoritarianism at the same time. I am eager to partner with state and federal leaders to do exactly that. pic.twitter.com/1oBRHpFNBt
— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) July 9, 2025
UFT president Michael Mulgrew reinforced this message describing Mamdani as “that partner” who can help make the city “safer and more affordable for working- and middle-class families.”
Accepting the endorsement at Albert Shanker Hall, Mamdani drew on the historical legacy of organized labor in education. “As I walked in today… I saw a photo that was memorialized of teachers marching decades ago, where there was a sign that they were holding, that teachers want what students need,” he said. “That has been the message for so long, and for so long, we have asked our teachers to sacrifice every bit of themselves to provide that which our children need.”
“Why can't we attract and retain teachers the way we used to? We know the answer: We’re forcing them to earn less & work longer. We’re telling them the bargain they made to work in public service & have the benefit of a public pension is being taken away.” - @ZohranKMamdani pic.twitter.com/QeGcmmnDXy
— UFT (@UFT) July 9, 2025
He pledged to work alongside the union to fully fund public schools and ensure that every dollar won—whether in Albany or at City Hall—reaches the classroom. “Too often we have treated those that could be partners as if they are members of an opposition, when in fact we are all looking to do the same thing — deliver world-class public education for a world-class city.”
Mamdani framed his campaign as rooted in organized labor and the interests of working-class New Yorkers. “This is the campaign of working people, this is the campaign of organized labor, and this is the campaign that will win in November,” he declared.
Mamdani’s campaign has gathered momentum following his surprise win in the ranked-choice Democratic primary, where he defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo with 56.2 percent in the final round. His bid for mayor has since been endorsed by several key labor organizations, including 32BJ SEIU, the Hotel Trades Council, New York State Nurses Association, and factions of 1199SEIU.
His platform promises fare-free buses, public ownership of essential services like grocery stores, universal childcare, rent stabilization, and increased taxes on the wealthy to expand public infrastructure. On education, Mamdani supports reducing reliance on standardized testing and moving away from centralized mayoral control, advocating instead for co-governance with parents, teachers, and students.
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