NYSUT President to Retire in April

On Friday, February 10, New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) President, Andy Pallotta, announced that he will retire from his position this Spring.

 

In a post on Twitter, Pallotta wrote, "After 37 years in education and the labor movement, it is with mixed emotions that I announce my retirement as President of NYSUT in April."

 

Pallotta was elected as President of NYSUT in April of 2017. Over the past 6 years, he has overseen NYSUT’s massive political mobilization and legislative efforts – efforts that have secured record levels of state school aid, beaten back many tax credit and voucher schemes, secured legal protections to public employees’ right to organize, and collected record-breaking voluntary contributions to the union’s political action fund, VOTE-COPE.

 

Before getting involved full time with NYSUT, Pallotta was a New York City elementary school teacher. In 2012, as Executive Vice president of NYSUT, he spearheaded the development of the online NYSUT Member Action Center (MAC) to facilitate cyber-lobbying on key state and federal legislative proposals and issues. The MAC has been an extremely successful addition to NYSUT’s political program, cultivating a growing and effective community of activists.

 

Mr. Pallotta is a graduate of the NYSUT Leadership Institute. He has served as a delegate to NYSUT and American Federation of Teachers conventions. He is also vice president of the New York State AFL-CIO and the AFT, and a member of their executive committees and executive councils.

 

In a letter he sent recently to local union presidents, Pallotta wrote, “… from my first day in a classroom in Brooklyn as a brand new teacher, until today as your President … I am so proud of the impact we have made in the lives of our members and their families.”

 

On behalf of the LUT, we thank Mr. Pallotta for his many years of service to NYSUT and all his efforts to improve our union and our profession. A vote on the next President of NYSUT will take place next month.