▁that ▁Sh ank er ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁attend ▁to ▁his ▁respons ib ilities ▁as ▁president ▁of ▁both ▁the ▁A FT ▁and ▁U FT , ▁Sh ank er ▁retired ▁as ▁U FT ▁president . ▁ ▁Feld man ▁was ▁elected ▁president ▁in ▁his ▁stead . ▁ ▁Ten ure ▁at ▁U FT ▁Feld man ▁was ▁known ▁for ▁being ▁a ▁quiet ▁but ▁very ▁effective ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁U FT . ▁She ▁fought ▁school ▁system ▁ch an cell ors ▁and ▁may ors ▁both , ▁winning ▁significantly ▁higher ▁w ages ▁and ▁benefits ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁improved ▁working ▁conditions ▁for ▁her ▁members . ▁She ▁lo bb ied ▁so ▁fier c ely ▁for ▁Bernard ▁G iff ord ▁as ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁schools ▁ch an cell or ▁that ▁Robert ▁F . ▁Wagner , ▁Jr ., ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁Board ▁of ▁Education , ▁threatened ▁to ▁res ign ▁unless ▁Feld man ▁back ed ▁off ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁given ▁a ▁free ▁hand . ▁ ▁She ▁was ▁instrument al ▁in ▁helping ▁David ▁D ink ins ▁win ▁election ▁as ▁mayor ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁by ▁using ▁union ▁members ▁and ▁resources ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁winning ▁elect oral ▁coal ition ▁of ▁black ▁and ▁white ▁vot ers . ▁But ▁once ▁mayor , ▁D ink ins ▁st alled ▁on ▁signing ▁a ▁new ▁contract ▁with ▁the ▁teachers ' ▁union . ▁Feld man ▁rarely ▁critic ized ▁D ink ins ▁public ly ▁for ▁his ▁actions , ▁but ▁she ▁kept ▁the ▁U FT ▁out ▁of ▁D ink ins ' ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁re - e