▁particip ating ▁in ▁the ▁March ▁on ▁Washington ▁for ▁Job s ▁and ▁Fre edom ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 3 . ▁ ▁While ▁in ▁gradu ate ▁school , ▁Feld man ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁fourth ▁grade ▁teacher ▁at ▁Public ▁School ▁ 3 4 ▁on ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁City ' s ▁Lower ▁East ▁Side . ▁She ▁immediately ▁joined ▁the ▁A FT ▁( which ▁had ▁only ▁one ▁other ▁member ▁at ▁the ▁school ). ▁ ▁When ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁teachers ▁won ▁collect ive ▁b arg aining ▁rights ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁she ▁organized ▁the ▁entire ▁school ▁staff ▁within ▁a ▁year . ▁During ▁this ▁time , ▁Feld man ▁became ▁an ▁associate ▁of ▁Albert ▁Sh ank er , ▁then ▁an ▁organ izer ▁for ▁the ▁United ▁Federation ▁of ▁Te ach ers . ▁ ▁Union ▁career ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁on ▁the ▁recommendation ▁of ▁R ust in , ▁Sh ank er — now ▁executive ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁U FT — h ired ▁Feld man ▁as ▁a ▁full - time ▁field ▁representative . ▁Over ▁the ▁next ▁nine ▁years , ▁Feld man ▁became ▁the ▁union ' s ▁executive ▁director ▁and ▁o vers aw ▁its ▁staff . ▁She ▁was ▁elected ▁its ▁secretary ▁( the ▁second - most ▁powerful ▁position ▁in ▁the ▁local ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 . ▁ ▁After ▁just ▁two ▁years ▁on ▁the ▁U FT ▁staff , ▁Feld man ▁played ▁a ▁cru cial ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁Ocean ▁Hill - B row ns ville ▁strike . ▁The ▁city ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁had ▁designated ▁the ▁Ocean ▁Hill