Charter School Teachers Join AFT
Teachers at a New York City public charter school now have a stronger voice in their workplace after they joined the United Federation of Teachers/AFT (UFT). The teachers at Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) Amp, a middle school in Brooklyn, say they want a stronger voice on the job because the demands on them are so rigorous. They also say they want to insure a fair discipline and evaluation system.
Nearly three-quarters of the 22 workers signed union-authorization cards to be represented by UFT. What makes the KIPP teachers’ decision significant is that the employer is a major player in the national charter school movement, which is almost all nonunion. KIPP has 66 schools in 19 states and the District of Columbia.
