The UFT helped me right away with a huge mold problem in my pre-K classroom in January. The issue wasn’t being addressed until the union came in, and then everyone sprang into action.
I noticed a faint odor in my classroom when I came back after the December holidays. The odor grew stronger each day, and I began to worry about what the impact might be on my students, my para and myself.
Although the school custodian kept drying out a leak in the next classroom, it didn’t clear up the odor in my classroom. So I reported the problem to my chapter leader, and that got the ball rolling.
The next day, the UFT district representative was here. Just a few days later, a team from the UFT Safety and Health Department, including an industrial hygienist, came to test the walls and take mold samples for further testing.
Once the UFT was in the building, things began to happen.
The moldy walls and cabinets in my classroom had to be torn down. We were safely housed in a temporary classroom during the construction work.
I can’t believe how fast the union addressed the problem. It was only ten days between the time I alerted my chapter leader and the construction work began to make my classroom safe again.
I’m so happy for my students that we got the mold issue attended to quickly and I’ve told everyone about it on Facebook. My advice to my colleagues is: When you have a problem that isn’t getting solved, take it to the UFT.
I’m so glad I have a union.
Celia Rivera is a pre-K teacher at PS 134 in Manhattan.
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