Randi Weingarten's Success and Achievements in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: November 14, 2025

A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Randi Weingarten.

Randi Weingarten is a prominent American labor leader, attorney, and educator. She is the current president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) since 2008, a major labor union affiliated with the AFL-CIO. Before leading the AFT, Weingarten served as president of New York City’s United Federation of Teachers (UFT). Her career includes roles as the UFT’s chief negotiator and counsel, and as a social studies teacher at Clara Barton High School. She is recognized as the first openly gay person to head a national American labor union.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1960: Reference to the Formation of the UFT

In 2007, Randi Weingarten concluded a successful union campaign that added 28,000 childcare workers to the UFT, marking the largest union campaign in the city since 1960, when the United Federation of Teachers itself was formed.

1995: Coached We the People civics competition team

In 1995, Randi Weingarten coached Clara Barton High School's team for the We the People civics competition. The team won the New York State championship and finished 4th in the national championship.

2002: Salaries for New York City teachers rise

During her tenure as UFT president between 2002 and 2007, Randi Weingarten pushed for higher salaries and improved training for teachers. Between 2002 and 2007, salaries for New York City teachers rose 42 percent.

June 1, 2003: Retroactive Date for Wage Increase

June 1, 2003, was the retroactive date for a wage increase agreed upon in a tentative contract reached on October 3, 2005.

February 1, 2005: Weingarten deemed 'kingmaker'

On February 1, 2005, Julia Levy reported in the New York Sun that mayoral candidates were meeting with Weingarten, and "political experts" were saying that "Weingarten has become something of a kingmaker."

October 3, 2005: Tentative Contract Reached

On October 3, 2005, a tentative contract was reached, offering a wage increase of 14.25 percent over 52 months, retroactive to June 1, 2003, and changes to the workday and staffing decisions.

2005: Started Organizing Childcare Providers

In 2005, Randi Weingarten began the campaign to organize childcare providers in New York City.

November 6, 2006: Concluded Third Collective Bargaining Agreement

On November 6, 2006, Randi Weingarten concluded her third collective bargaining agreement, increasing pay by 7.1 percent over two years and raising base pay for senior teachers above $100,000 a year.

October 19, 2007: Wolf argues Weingarten gained power for the UFT

On October 19, 2007, Andrew Wolf, in an op-ed in the New York Sun entitled "Socialism for Schools," argued that despite some observers' perception that "Mayor Bloomberg and Chancellor Klein [had] won a victory over the teachers' union by gaining approval of a merit pay scheme," the real winner was Weingarten, who had gained power for the UFT.

2007: Organizing Victory for Childcare Providers

In 2007, Randi Weingarten concluded a successful union campaign that added 28,000 childcare workers to the UFT.

October 2012: Weingarten and Christie reach compromise

In October 2012, Randi Weingarten and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie reached a "landmark compromise," agreeing on a new contract for teachers in the Newark school system. Weingarten agreed to embrace the concept of merit pay in exchange for a promise that teachers would have a rare role in evaluating performance.