Charles Cogen

[1] That strikes were technically illegal under the state's Condon-Wadlin Act did not deter Cogen from leading citywide walkouts that resulted in significant economic and professional advances for those he represented.Born Charles Cohen on New York's Lower East Side, Cogen attended union rallies with his father Joseph, a garment worker.Cogen's law practice foundered during the Depression, and he decided to forsake it in 1933, but not before earning a master's degree in economics from Columbia University.He completed his career in the classroom as chairman of the social studies department at Brooklyn's Bay Ridge High School.[7] In addition, Cogen was eager to demonstrate that his union, an affiliate of the AFL-CIO, would deliver concrete results to its members by resorting to traditional labor tactics such as strikes.This differentiated the UFT and its parent organization, the American Federation of Teachers, from the larger, less militant National Education Association (NEA).School administrators quickly invoked the Condon-Wadlin Act, obtaining a court injunction that ordered teachers back to work.Administration, after first arguing that no funds were available, settled on an offer of $15 million as part of a two-year contract with the salary increase paid in the second year.[18] In a closely contested election, Cogen defeated Gary, Indiana, teacher union leader Charles O. Smith Jr. by a vote of 1,023–993.[19] Smith was Megel's choice, but Cogen had several advantages: greater name recognition, a stronger reputation for militancy, and a unified caucus supporting his candidacy.[citation needed] After retirement, Cogen continued to serve as an advisor to other union leaders, and was a board member on the Jewish Labor Committee, the Americans for Democratic Action, and the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO.