American Federation of Teachers
March 22, 2020
AFT endorses Joe Biden as Democratic nominee for president
Acting on a clear mandate from the AFT’s membership, the AFT executive
council passed a resolution endorsing Vice President Joe Biden for
president. After more than a year of member engagement on the
endorsement process—with more than 300,000 AFT members nationwide
participating in candidate events, town halls, polls, regional
conferences and other efforts—new membership polls show strong support
for Biden.
Dedicated to a transparent process that focuses on the needs of AFT
members and the communities they serve, the AFT’s endorsement decision
has been guided by three criteria: selecting a candidate who shares the
union’s values, who has the support of our members, and who can
ultimately defeat President Trump in November. Biden—a long-term
partner of the AFT whose wife, Jill Biden, is an educator and whose
family through tragedy has come to revere healthcare
professionals—meets those criteria.
Several weeks ago, the AFT determined that three candidates—Biden,
Sanders and Warren—shared our values. Over the past several days,
membership polls revealed that a majority of members (60 percent) in
every AFT constituency now support Biden, who leads his nearest
competitor by a 2-to-1 ratio. Seventy-five percent of the Democratic
membership supports the AFT making an endorsement in the primary. And
in recent weeks, Biden has won an impressive lead in the delegate
count. With 60 percent of delegates already apportioned, he has 1,180
delegates of the 1,991 needed to secure the nomination.
A real leader in a time of real need
The decision to endorse now, in the midst of a global pandemic, was
driven by the urgent need for a leader with courage and compassion.
“Before the COVID-19 epidemic, the 2020 election was about the soul of
our country. Now it’s about our soul, our safety, our health, our
security and our economic well-being,” says AFT President Randi
Weingarten. “Joe Biden is the experienced and empathic leader our
country needs right now. His character was forged getting up and going
to work every day and trying to make life better for his family, facing
the ups and downs so many of us face; it was tested by unspeakable loss
and grief in life; and it was nurtured through public service, a love
of people and the belief in the dignity of every human.”
AFT for Biden logo white backgroundHighlighting the ways Biden’s
priorities match those of the AFT, Weingarten continues: “Biden is with
us on investing in public education; making college a reality for
everyone; fixing the broken Public Service Loan Forgiveness program;
making healthcare a human right, not a privilege for the wealthy;
prioritizing clean energy and environmental justice; and building an
economy that respects the value of workers’ voices. His whole career
has been devoted to building a pathway to the middle class for the
millions of people facing an affordability crisis daily. It’s time to
give him the chance to do that as president.”
Conversations among AFT leaders have focused on the urgency of this
moment, when the coronavirus pandemic has gripped the nation and
revealed glaring weaknesses in the current president’s judgment and
leadership ability.
“In this moment of worldwide crisis, the contrast with Trump is clear,”
says Weingarten. “Our country is navigating the greatest challenge we
have battled in generations, and it is essential that we rally around a
candidate who can show courage, conviction and compassion in the face
of uncertainty.
“Throughout this national emergency, the president and his
administration have failed to secure testing and personal protective
equipment to safeguard our frontline healthcare providers; have
attempted to conceal the severity of the virus and downplay the public
health risks; and have refused to deploy the full arsenal of the
federal government’s resources, leaving the difficult work of
leadership to our nation’s governors. Now more than ever, we need a
standard-bearer who is actually looking out for us, and who has a
proven track record of steering the country successfully through
economic and social upheaval.”
Throughout the campaign season, beginning more than a year ago,
Weingarten has directly interacted with candidates, swinging their
focus to issues most important to AFT members, including public
education, public healthcare, working families and the public good. The
union also created countless opportunities for members to interact with
candidates at town hall meetings, to discuss their campaigns at debate
watch parties, conferences and campaign gatherings, and to register
their own opinions and preferences on membership surveys. In February,
the AFT urged members to throw their support behind any one of the
three candidates who had surfaced as hewing closest to union values:
Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
“The ‘how’ a nominee was selected was as important as the ‘who,’” says
Weingarten, stressing that no one should be left on the sidelines
during an election that is widely considered to be the most important
of our lifetimes.
With all the pieces in place, and the urgency of replacing Donald Trump
driven by deep concern over the safety of our nation, the ‘how’ has
come to selecting ‘who,’ says Weingarten: “Given everything that is
going on, that person now is Joe Biden.”
A long-term partner who listens
Shortly after the AFT executive council voted to endorse Biden, council
members were surprised and heartened to have Joe and Jill Biden join
the council’s virtual meeting. By phone, the Bidens offered their
heartfelt thanks and reinforced their commitment to AFT members and the
children, families and communities they uplift. Getting right to the
matter at hand, Vice President Biden declared that, “I am going to be a
president who leads with science and who listens to experts.” Touching
on an important update to his education policy platform(link is
external), Biden emphasized that college should be tuition-free for
families that earn less than $125,000 per year. Jill Biden, a lifelong
educator, also expressed her thanks and shared her vision, saying “What
makes this nation great is the people who come together with kindness
and courage to make it great.”
Weingarten reminded Biden of the good work they had done together
during the Obama administration, thanking him for listening and acting
on critical issues like the improper use of student test scores in
teacher evaluations. Summing up what she has heard from countless
members, Weingarten expressed the AFT’s commitment to Vice President
Biden becoming President Biden, saying “With your courage, conviction,
compassion and empathy, you will lead this country in a better
direction. We are now Team Biden!”
[Virginia Myers, AFT Media Affairs]
AFT Endorsement of Joe Biden as the
Democratic Nominee for President of the United States
WHEREAS, the American Federation of
Teachers has spent more than a year engaging members and affiliates in
the most intensive, inclusive, transparent and engaging presidential
endorsement process in our history and has seen unprecedented
engagement by members; and
WHEREAS, the AFT’s endorsement decision
in the presidential primary has been guided by three essential
criteria: a candidate who shares our values, a candidate who has the
support of our members, and a candidate who can defeat President Trump.
And in the more than 300,000 conversations we have had, our members
believed when the time came, we would unify as a national union behind
one candidate; and
WHEREAS, in February, the AFT’s
executive council concluded that three candidates shared our values and
had a path to winning the nomination—Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders and
Elizabeth Warren—and encouraged our members to actively support any or
all of them; and
WHEREAS, since that point, our members,
like Democrats across the nation, have coalesced around Biden, who now
has clear majority support of our members across all constituencies; and
WHEREAS, with nearly 60 percent of the
delegates allocated, Biden has a sizable lead and has proven he has the
ability to attract voters and build a coalition to win not just the
primary but also the general election; and
WHEREAS, this election has taken on an
increasing urgency since the actual voting has begun. The world,
including the United States, is facing a global pandemic threatening
the health, well-being and economic security of our members, our
communities and our nation. The dire need for personal protective
equipment for our essential personnel is a case in point, which is why
now more than ever we need to unite behind a strong, effective,
empathic leader who can help families and lead a fractured nation. A
leader who offers a stark contrast to the incompetent, ineffective and
narcissistic actions of Trump, who even in these times of crisis
continues to only focus on what is good for himself at the expense of
the American people; and
WHEREAS, the economic harm caused by
COVID-19 will be particularly devastating to working families. Even
before the pandemic hit, nearly 40 percent of Americans said they
couldn’t cover a $400 emergency expense. Just as Franklin D. Roosevelt
after Herbert Hoover and the Great Depression and Barack Obama and
Biden after George W. Bush and the Great Recession, this moment calls
for a Democratic president who has the competence and compassion to not
just bring us out of the depths of economic ruin but also rewrite the
rules so working families thrive and heal our nation:
RESOLVED, that the American Federation
of Teachers endorses Joe Biden to be the Democratic nominee for
president of the United States as the candidate who shares our values,
has the support of our members and has the path to the nomination and
to the presidency. Biden has proven he is best able to bring the
necessary coalition of Americans together to defeat Trump, handle this
pandemic and its aftermath, and create a better life and future for all
Americans; and
RESOLVED, that AFT members have a long
history with Biden and know him as someone whose life experiences
crafted a resilient, competent, compassionate and honest leader with an
unbending optimism and commitment to working people. Biden has spent
his entire career championing the values of strong public schools and
higher education; healthcare and college as rights not privileges; and
labor and civil rights. He believes in the dignity of every person and
the importance of the labor movement. He was a trusted vice president,
at home and abroad, and he, with President Obama, helped America get
through a terrible recession. He is the leader we need in this moment;
and
RESOLVED, that Biden’s proposals
demonstrate his deep belief in the promise and purpose of public
education, higher education and the labor movement. He understands
healthcare is a right, not a privilege, and was instrumental in the
passage of the Affordable Care Act. He championed the Violence Against
Women Act and led the administration’s fight for marriage equality.
Biden’s healthcare plans will make healthcare more affordable by
offering a public option for families and reigning in drug companies to
make medicine affordable. He will fight to make it easier for workers
who choose to unionize to do so and has adopted plans to reform
bankruptcy laws for struggling families. He will strengthen and invest
in public schools, including by tripling funding for Title I, fully
funding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, expanding
community schools, investing in school infrastructure and doubling the
number of psychologists, guidance counselors, nurses, social workers
and other health professionals in our schools; limit
testing; support
educators; and invest in higher education and make college affordable,
including by establishing a “Title I for postsecondary education,”
investing in public colleges and universities and historically black
colleges and universities, strengthening Public Service Loan
Forgiveness and income-based repayment, and making public colleges and
universities free for most families. These plans stand in stark
contrast to the Betsy DeVos agenda to defund and destroy public
education. Biden’s education plans are informed by his wife, Jill, who
has been a teacher her entire career, even while Biden served as vice
president; and
RESOLVED, that the AFT will use our
endorsement, our appointment to the platform committee, and our
relationship with the Biden campaign to strengthen both the national
Democratic platform and the policy positions of the eventual Democratic
nominee in the way AFT members envision; and
RESOLVED, that the AFT commits to
continuing our unprecedented level of engagement to ensure nobody is on
the sidelines in the November elections and that we do everything in
our power to help Biden win the democratic nomination and then elect
him president.
(2020)
Please note that a newer
resolution, or portion of a resolution, may have superseded an earlier
resolution on the same subject. As a result, with the exception of
resolutions adopted at our most recent AFT convention, resolutions do
not necessarily reflect current AFT policies.
ed.
note:
On
Feb. 29, 2020 AFT President Randi Weingarten, in her personal
capacity, endorsed Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
American
Federation
of
Teachers
For Release: Thursday, February 20, 2020
Contact: Oriana Kori
American Federation of Teachers Passes Resolution to Encourage
Support
for 3 of the 2020 Democratic Primary Candidates
WASHINGTON—In a telephone town hall
on Thursday night with
thousands of American Federation of Teachers members and leaders who
have been actively engaged in the union’s 2020 presidential endorsement
process, AFT President Randi Weingarten, Scranton (Pa.) Federation of
Teachers President Rosemary Boland, AFT Vermont President Deb Snell and
Boston Teachers Union President Jessica Tang discussed the next steps
in the AFT’s plan for supporting candidates as the 2020 Democratic
presidential primary continues to unfold.
Weingarten reported on this
week’s meeting of the AFT executive council, including the passage
of a resolution outlining
the
next
steps
in
the
AFT’s
2020
endorsement
process. The board voted
to step up what is already unprecedented member engagement in the
upcoming election by encouraging locals and state affiliates to
support, be actively involved with, or endorse the candidacies of Vice
President Joe Biden, Sen. Bernie Sanders or Sen. Elizabeth Warren,
ahead of the selection of more than 60 percent of the delegates by the
end of March. The resolution signals to members and leaders that
support for any of those three candidates is welcome at this stage of
the process before the union makes a national endorsement.
This next phase of the union’s 2020
endorsement process follows record member engagement in the first stage
of the presidential primary, with more than 300,000 members
participating to date—including the public education forum in
Pittsburgh that featured seven candidates, the 10 candidate town halls
hosted with members around the country, numerous telephone town halls,
several member surveys and polls, five regional meetings, and countless
activities at the local and affiliate levels. Several AFT locals and
state federations have already made candidate endorsements, as
encouraged by the initial
endorsement resolution(link is external), passed in March of 2019.
Weingarten said:
“We are fighting for working families
and our communities to have the freedom to live, and a voice at work
and in our democracy. Donald Trump has proven himself to be an
existential threat to the values and aspirations of educators,
healthcare professionals, public employees and the communities we serve
every day. While several candidates in this race share our values,
three in particular—Vice President Biden, Sen. Sanders and Sen. Warren
have significant support within our membership. There is a real
connection with these three candidates because of their record of
working with us over the years on public education, higher education,
healthcare, labor and civil rights.
“Given the stakes of this election, the
enthusiasm among our membership to engage, and the nature of the
democratic nomination process, our board felt strongly that until the
AFT makes a national endorsement in the primary process or at the AFT
convention, it is important that our affiliates, members and leaders,
including the three national officers, be actively involved in
supporting and helping Vice President Biden, Sen. Sanders and Sen.
Warren.
“It was clear that the time to take this
action was now, before all the delegates are chosen and before all of
the primaries are over, so that AFT members and leaders can help shape
the race and the narrative, ensure our voices are heard, and ensure one
of these three candidates emerges as the nominee. Because, make no
mistake: We are in the fight of our lives—for a better life for our
members and the communities we serve, to preserve our democracy, and to
defeat Donald Trump. Ultimately, we must be unified and support the
eventual Democratic nominee.”
Boland said:
“As a native of Scranton, Vice President
Biden knows firsthand about the economic, educational and social
issues that matter to our community. He has been a lifelong advocate
for strong public schools, labor rights, and access to quality and
affordable healthcare—issues important to our members, working families
and the students we teach. I, and my members, aren’t just
supporting the vice president because of his past record, but also
because of his vision for the future—a vision that is focused
on strengthening the middle class and providing opportunity
for everyone. We are committed to turning out for Joe Biden ahead of
Pennsylvania’s April 28 primary, and we resolve to do the same for
whomever the eventual Democratic nominee is, too. The stakes are too
high to sit on the sidelines.”
Snell said:
“AFT Vermont has proudly endorsed Sen.
Bernie Sanders’ campaign for president, and our members in higher
education and healthcare are already engaged in his movement to bring
universal healthcare to every person in this country, and an affordable
college education. Sen. Sanders has shown he has the vision, the
momentum and the diversity of support necessary to enact bold policy
changes that will undo the corrupting influence of corporate power on
our economy, and allow working people to access the better-life issues
we fight for every day: decent wages, a secure retirement, good
healthcare and an opportunity for our families to get ahead. We are
committed to helping Sen. Sanders win delegates, and also committed to
supporting whichever Democrat ends up taking on Donald Trump in
November.”
Tang said:
"Sen. Elizabeth Warren is the true
visionary in this race for president: Her plans for big, structural
change make her the clear choice for the Boston Teachers Union and AFT
Massachusetts. Sen. Warren’s values are aligned with ours. We strongly
support her plans for public education, immigration justice and
building an economy that works for all by making it easier for workers
in all sectors to join a union and by tackling our nation’s student
debt crisis. She has stood with us every step of the way in our ongoing
efforts to win the necessary funding and policies to strengthen public
education for all, particularly for the students and communities with
the greatest needs. This is a critical time for us to show leadership,
so we’re proud to stand behind her during the Massachusetts Democratic
presidential primary. We look forward to supporting her or whomever is
elected as the eventual Democratic nominee.”
# # # #
The AFT represents 1.7 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers;
paraprofessionals and other school-related personnel; higher education
faculty and professional staff; federal, state and local government
employees; nurses and healthcare workers; and early childhood
educators.
____________________________
AFT SUPPORT FOR 2020 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
WHEREAS, one year ago, the American
Federation of Teachers executive council adopted a resolution
establishing the AFT’s 2020 presidential endorsement process,
and, since that time, the AFT has conducted the most intensive,
inclusive, transparent and engaging presidential endorsement process in
its history; and
WHEREAS, unprecedented engagement has
led to more than 300,000 members having participated in the endorsement
process to date, including in the public education forum the AFT
co-sponsored with union and community groups; 10 separate candidate
town halls involving every constituency; five regional meetings with
state and local leaders; and numerous telephone town halls, member
surveys and polls; as well as state and local affiliates conducting
their own programs of member engagement; and
WHEREAS, the following membership
consensus has emerged:
1. Donald
Trump
is
an
existential
threat
to the values and aspirations of our
members and those we serve;
2. While
several
candidates
share
our
values,
three—Vice President Joe Biden,
Sen. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren—share our values and have
significant support within our membership; and
3. In
our
quest
for
a
better
life for our members and the communities we
serve, to preserve our democracy, and to defeat Trump, we must
ultimately be unified and support the eventual Democratic nominee; and
WHEREAS, Vice President Biden, Sen.
Sanders and Sen. Warren have a record of working with us over the years
and standing with us on public education, higher education, healthcare,
and labor and civil rights, and, as a result, they have received the
highest levels of support of our members, including endorsements from
AFT affiliates at the state and local levels, as well as AFT members
running as delegates in support of their candidacies; and
WHEREAS, the majority of delegates will
be allocated in the next two months, and it is critical that members,
affiliates and leaders at the national, state and local levels continue
to grow our engagement and ensure our collective voices are heard and
influence the political dialogue; and
WHEREAS, Trump and his appointees,
including Betsy DeVos, threaten our democracy, climate, public
education, healthcare, public services, freedoms and way of life; and
WHEREAS, the stakes in this election
require our solidarity; nobody can be on the sidelines, and the energy
of educators, nurses and public service professionals must be
supported, nurtured and activated in this election; and
WHEREAS, we are unified both to defeat
Trump in the 2020 elections and to elect someone who will join us in
fighting for these values:
RESOLVED,
until
the
American
Federation
of
Teachers decides to make a national
endorsement in the primary process or at the AFT convention, the AFT
urges the affiliates, members and leadership, including the three AFT
national officers, to be actively involved in supporting and helping
Vice President Biden, Sen. Sanders, and/or Sen. Warren.
(2020)
Please note that a newer
resolution, or portion of a resolution, may have superseded an earlier
resolution on the same subject. As a result, with the exception of
resolutions adopted at our most recent AFT convention, resolutions do
not necessarily reflect current AFT policies.
American
Federation
of
Teachers
For Release: Friday, November 15, 2019
Contact: Oriana Korin
Statement by American Federation
of Teachers President on Local Affiliate Endorsements in 2020
Presidential Campaign
WASHINGTON—AFT
President
Randi
Weingarten
issued
the
following
statement
after
the
United
Teachers
Los
Angeles
House of Representatives voted to endorse
Sen. Bernie Sanders for the Democratic nomination for president:
“The AFT fundamentally
revamped our presidential
endorsement
process(link
is
external) this cycle, and in our first phase
we have seen unprecedented engagement and empowerment of our 1.7
million members across 3,500 locals and 40 state federations. Our
members have engaged with campaigns and candidates, asking questions
about the issues that matter most to them, during our 10 candidate town
halls and numerous other events and actions. This first phase of the
process will culminate in a national candidate forum on public
education, which we will host with our allies on Dec. 14 in Pittsburgh.
“As part of this AFT Votes endorsement process, we have enabled locals
and state federations, if they choose, prior to any national
endorsement, to endorse a candidate for the purpose of their state
primary or caucus. Last night, UTLA voted to endorse Sen. Bernie
Sanders using its own iteration of that process, based on its long
history with the senator and his long-standing support for a pro-public
school agenda.
“We anticipate that other AFT affiliates may endorse other candidates
prior to their states’ primary or caucus. Our recent member
polling indicates that Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Elizabeth
Warren have healthy double-digit support, followed by Sanders and
several other Democratic candidates.
“Educators, healthcare professionals and public employees across this
country are engaging in the 2020 election with unprecedented
enthusiasm, and we are thrilled that our members are already so
involved in this campaign; when our democracy is at stake, no one can
afford to sit on the sidelines. We look forward to continuing our
engagement with the campaigns as our national endorsement process plays
out, and to uniting around an eventual nominee as we work together to
beat Donald Trump next November.”
# # # #
The AFT represents 1.7 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers;
paraprofessionals and other school-related personnel; higher education
faculty and professional staff; federal, state and local government
employees; nurses and healthcare workers; and early childhood educators.
Public
Education
Forum
2020:
Equity
and
Justice
for
All
Saturday, December 14, 2019 at the David
L. Lawrence
Convention Center in Pittsburgh, PA.
American
Federation
of
Teachers
For
Release:
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
Contact: Andrew Crook
AFT
Lays Out Path to 2020 Presidential Endorsement
Engagement
and Energy Crucial to Evaluate Candidates who Walk the Walk for Members
and the Community
WASHINGTON—The
American
Federation of Teachers has launched its largest and deepest
political endorsement effort ahead of the pivotal 2020 presidential
election.
The 1.7 million-member union, comprising
3,500 locals, went live today with a website, AFTvotes.org,
and
kicked
off
its
inaugural
“Walk
a
Day”
campaign
to
invite
candidates
to
spend
a
day
in
the
shoes
of
an
AFT
member
to
better
understand
the challenges and issues our members
face in the workplace.
The AFT Votes website includes extensive
information on how members can actively participate throughout the
endorsement process. It will help members learn more about the
candidates and gauge where they stand on key issues, provide resources
for members running for office, and more.
AFT members are K-12 teachers and
paraprofessionals, healthcare workers, higher education faculty and
staff, and public employees who, according to President Randi
Weingarten, “reflect the heart and soul of this country.”
Earlier this year, the AFT executive
council passed a unanimous
motion to establish guiderails for our 2020 presidential
endorsement
process, with a specific focus on deep engagement and honest
conversations before any decision can be made. Members are encouraged
to consult directly and extensively with campaigns and only come
together behind a candidate when the time is right.
Last night, 30,000 members and activists
joined a national telephone town hall to discuss and debate the
process.
“Our No. 1 goal is to elect a President
who reflects our values and that means beating Donald Trump in 2020,”
Weingarten said. “But to win our endorsement, candidates will have to
walk the walk, not just talk the talk. As we look ahead to Election
Day, we are committed to engaging our members at every step of the way.”
The 2020 AFT endorsement process will
include a formal candidate questionnaire, member surveys, focus groups,
informational videos and unprecedented member involvement in campaigns,
including town halls, social media forums and other opportunities to
participate in the democratic process to decide who will receive the
union’s grass-roots and financial support as November 2020 draws
closer.
Weingarten added: “Over the next several
months, we hope our members and their families and friends will use
this process to make clear their aspirations for this country and for a
standard bearer to help achieve them. We will work together to get to
know the candidates and look for a leader who shares our values, has a
likelihood of winning and is committed to helping all of us achieve a
better life, a voice at work and power in our democracy.”
#
#
#
#
The
AFT
represents
1.7
million
pre-K through 12th-grade teachers;
paraprofessionals and other school-related personnel; higher education
faculty and professional staff; federal, state and local government
employees; nurses and healthcare workers; and early childhood educators.
https://www.aft.org/resolution/2020-presidential-endorsement-process
2020 Presidential Endorsement Process
WHEREAS, the American Federation of
Teachers is a union of professionals that is committed to bettering the
lives of the people we serve and the people we represent—through a
voice at work and in our democracy, and by championing economic
opportunity and high-quality public education, healthcare and public
services; and
WHEREAS, the AFT and our members have a
long and proud history of engaging in the political process as a means
to improve people’s lives; and
WHEREAS, the AFT, through our national,
state and local affiliates, provide a vehicle for working people and
our communities to build collective power and to accomplish what is
impossible for individuals to achieve alone for a better life and a
voice at work and in our democracy; and
WHEREAS, the AFT is committed to
advancing the ideals of our democracy, including making it easier—not
harder—to register and vote, and to ending the disenfranchisement of
millions of voters through voter suppression and gerrymandering
schemes; and
WHEREAS, while every election is
important to advancing our goals, the 2020 presidential election may be
the most important in generations; and
WHEREAS, the 2020 presidential election
process provides an opportunity to elect a new U.S. president who
shares our values and aspirations for our country; and
WHEREAS, the 2020 presidential election
primary process has already begun, with candidates announcing their
campaigns and policies, debates and forums being scheduled, and the
slating of delegates for presidential candidates effectively beginning
in the summer of 2019 in several large states; and
WHEREAS, the AFT and our members provide
an important voice in the political dialogue of our country, a voice
that is needed to shape the debate in the presidential primary process
regardless of whether the AFT has officially endorsed a candidate; and
WHEREAS, the AFT is committed to its
members having a genuine and effective voice in this process and using
the vehicle of our union as a means for that voice, a voice that states
clearly: “We care, we fight, we show up and we vote!”:
RESOLVED,
that
the
American
Federation of Teachers will begin a process of
engaging in the 2020 elections; and
RESOLVED,
that
the
process
will include:
- Listening
to
and
engaging
our
members
on
the
issues
and
policies
that
matter
to
them,
including
but
not
limited
to
issues
raised
in
the
AFT’s 2018
convention resolution titled “AFT Goals for Political Endorsements.”
- Ensuring
the
endorsement
process
for
the
2020
presidential
election
is
transparent
and
involves
meaningful
member
input
and
feedback,
including
informing
and
educating
the
members
on
each step of the
endorsement process;
- Ensuring
direct
engagement
by
the
candidates
with
AFT
members,
as
it
is
vital
for
the
candidates
to
understand
the
issues
facing
our
members
and
their
communities. This will include more than candidate
questionnaires; it can include, for example, candidates meeting
directly with AFT members in candidate forums, Facebook Live
conversations, discussions with members at the workplace or other
appropriate activities; and
- Utilizing
new
tools
and
technology
to
engage
and
educate
the
membership,
a
process
which
may
include
AFT
national
town
halls
using
social
media,
online
forums,
digital platforms such as Hustle and Twitter, scientific
polling or other appropriate tools, with the aim of achieving the
greatest level of member participation the AFT has ever had in a
presidential process; and
RESOLVED,
that
with
a
large field of candidates for U.S. president, many of whom
have a record of supporting our issues and with whom the AFT and our
affiliates have long-term and strong relationships warranting “favorite
daughter/son” support or other preference, the AFT encourages
affiliates and members to actively engage the candidate campaigns
during the presidential primary process, even before the AFT formally
considers the endorsement of candidates; and
RESOLVED,
that
because
the
2020 presidential process will have many defining
moments, well before most voters are ever really engaged, the AFT will
take steps to educate and communicate with the members about the
primary and caucus process, including running for national convention
delegate or standing committee member (platform, credentials and
rules), in support of a presidential candidate; and
RESOLVED,
that
in
the
endorsement process, the AFT executive council may
consider, after meaningful input of our membership, which candidate is
best for our members, our communities and our country; such an
assessment will include consideration of the candidates’ positions on
issues, the timing and state of the race, and the candidates’ pathway
to victory; and
RESOLVED,
that
because
we
are indeed stronger together, if and when the AFT
executive council and/or AFT convention delegates vote to endorse a
candidate for president, the AFT and our affiliates will work together
in every possible way to elect the AFT’s nationally endorsed
candidate.
(2019)
Please note that a newer
resolution, or portion of a resolution, may have superseded an earlier
resolution on the same subject. As a result, with the exception of
resolutions adopted at our most recent AFT convention, resolutions do
not necessarily reflect current AFT policies.
Biden
for
President Facebook
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 28, 2019
Joe Biden Outlines Plan for Students, Educators, and Our Future
HOUSTON, TEXAS – Today, Vice President Joe Biden
announced
his
plan to provide public educators the support and respect
they need and deserve while investing in all children from birth, so
that regardless of zip code, parents’ income, race, or disability all
students are prepared to succeed in tomorrow’s economy. Biden outlined
these principles today during a town hall in Houston, Texas held
together with the American Federation of Teachers, and detailed how a
Biden White House would turn these goals into a reality for America’s
educators and students.
“As my wife Jill says, an educator’s profession isn’t just what they
do, it is who they are,” said Vice President Joe Biden. “They
answer a call to service. They help our children learn and grow into
successful adults. For so many young people, knowing they have a
teacher believing in and fighting for them can make all the difference.
It’s past time we treat and compensate our educators as the
professionals they are, and that we make a commitment that no child’s
future will be determined by zip code, parents’ income, race, or
disability.”
For more on Vice President Biden’s plan, please see the
fact
sheet
below.
# # #
Warren for
President
Facebook
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Highlights from Warren’s
Trip
to
Pennsylvania
On day of AFT Town
Hall, Warren Announced that the Secretary of Education would
be a Public School Teacher in her Administration
Charlestown,
MA
- Elizabeth
Warren traveled to
Philadelphia yesterday where she
held a grassroots donor event to thank supporters and participated in
the AFT Votes Town Hall.
Warren also
announced
that
in
her
Administration,
the
Secretary
of
Education
would
be
a
former
public
school
teacher
who
is committed to public education.
Rolling
Stone:
Elizabeth Warren Pledges
to
Hire
a
Public
School
Teacher
as
Her
Education
Secretary “Warren has
almost
singlehandedly
driven
the
debate around education in the
2020 presidential race.”
Randi Weingarten @rweingarten THIS is such
great news.... Looking forward to the #AFTVotes townhall with @ewarren
this afternoon at 4:30 pm
https://twitter.com/rweingarten/status/1128003349360578561
Huffpost:
Elizabeth Warren Promises
To
Appoint
A
Public
School
Teacher
As
Education
Secretary A
New
York
City
public school teacher named Liat Olenick approached
Warren’s team in March about pledging to make a
public school teacher education secretary. Olenick sought out members of
Warren’s team at a rally in Long Island City, and
kept in touch with them about her idea, she told HuffPost...
Olenick
said
she
believes
the
pledge
represents
proof
of Warren’s
commitment
to public education.
Rebecca Klein @rklein90 Randi Weingarten is
giving a particularly enthusiastic intro to Elizabeth
Warren right now, before
Warren's town hall with teachers. "She understands
the needs of unions and she understands the aspirations of public
education."
https://twitter.com/rklein90/status/1128038916131573760
Philly
Inquirer:
Elizabeth Warren makes
first
2020
campaign
stop
in
Philly,
promises
a
pro-public
school
administration Warren,
who
worked
as
a
special
education
teacher
in
New
Jersey
earlier
in
her
career,
has
stumped
on
the need for more federal funding of public
schools, universal child care and pay requirements for early-childhood
education teachers. She has also unveiled a plan for student-debt
forgiveness and making two and four-year public college tuition free.
All topics she touched on Monday.
adam
harris
@AdamHSays Warren on
her
proposed
$50
billion
for
HBCUs
and
MSIs:
"We
have
a
problem
in
education,
and
part
of
it has been that we have not given equal
resources and opportunity to students of color, and here is one way to
attack that head on."
https://twitter.com/AdamHSays/status/1128045105850589187
CNN: Warren added that her pick would
be someone
"who understands how low pay,
tattered textbooks, and crumbling classrooms hurt students and
educators," and
someone "who understands the crushing burden of student debt on
students and young professionals and who is committed to actually doing
something about it."
Lauren
S.
Camera
@laurenonthehill Warren pitches
wealth
tax
to
pay
for
universal
childcare,
universal
pre-K,
raise
wages
of
preschool
teachers
and
child
care
workers, make every public tech
school, 2-yr college, 4-yr college tuition and fee-free, put $50
billion into HBCUs, cancel student loan debt for 95%.
https://twitter.com/laurenonthehill/status/1128042764535513090
GQ:
Elizabeth Warren Calls
Betsy
DeVos
“The
Worst
Secretary
of
Education
We’ve
Seen” And
vows
to
appoint
an actual teacher if elected president.
###
Amy
for
America Facebook
May 9, 2019
TOMORROW: U.S. Senator
Amy Klobuchar To Visit Yonkers Public Schools, Participate in
American Federation of Teachers Town Hall
YONKERS, NY — Tomorrow,
Friday, May 10, U.S. Sen.
Amy Klobuchar will join American Federation of Teachers (AFT)
President Randi Weingarten, Yonkers Federation of Teachers (YFT)
President Samantha Rosado-Ciriello and members of the YFT and New
York’s statewide teacher’s federation in visits to two Yonkers public
schools. Following the school visits, Klobuchar will
participate in an AFT Votes town hall.
Schedule for Friday, May 10:
WHO: U.S. Sen.
Amy Klobuchar, AFT President Randi Weingarten, YFT
President Samantha Rosado-Ciriello
WHAT:
Sen. Klobuchar to visit Charles E. Gorton High School
WHEN: Friday, May 10 at 1:00
p.m. EST
WHERE: Charles E. Gorton High
School — 100 Shonnard Place, Yonkers, NY
10703
WHO: U.S. Sen.
Amy Klobuchar, AFT President Randi Weingarten, YFT
President Samantha Rosado-Ciriello
WHAT:
Sen. Klobuchar to visit School 9
WHEN: Friday, May 10 at 2:00
p.m. EST
WHERE: School 9 — 53 Fairview
Street Yonkers, NY 10703
WHO: U.S. Sen.
Amy Klobuchar
WHAT: Klobuchar to
participate in AFT Votes Town Hall
WHEN: Friday, May 10 at 3:30
p.m. EST
WHERE: Yonkers High School —
150 Rockland Avenue, Yonkers, NY 10705
###
Tim Ryan for America Facebook
May 2, 2019
ADVISORY: TOMORROW – Democratic Presidential Candidate Rep.
Tim Ryan to
Address New York State United Teachers’ Representative Assembly
Congressman Ryan Will Address NYSUT and Participate in Town Hall
Q & A
YOUNGSTOWN, OH – TOMORROW, U.S.
Congressman Tim Ryan (D-OH) will address more than 2,000 New
York State United Teachers (NYSUT) delegates in Albany, New York for
the union’s 47th annual Representative Assembly. During the assembly’s
general session on Friday evening, Ryan and American
Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten will
address NYSUT delegates
and discuss his commitment to supporting our nation’s teachers and to
bolstering our national education system.
As a presidential candidate, Ryan has underscored the
importance of tackling structural problems in our health care and
education policies, and the need for critical reforms to help make sure
educators and students have the tools and trauma-informed resources
they need to learn and thrive.
Following his remarks, Congressman Ryan will join AFT
President Weingarten in a town hall with select NYSUT members
where he will answer questions as part of AFT’s 2020 endorsement
process.
TOMORROW,
MAY 3, 2019
WHAT: Congressman Ryan address
New
York
State
United
Teachers
(NYSUT)
delegates
for
the
union’s
47th
Representative
Assembly.
Following
his
remarks, Ryan will
participate
in
a
town
hall Q & A session
with NYSUT members.
WHEN: Friday, May 3, 2019
between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. ET
WHERE: Albany Capital
Center – 55 Eagle Street, Albany, NY 12207
Bernie
2020 Facebook
April
11,
2019
Contact:
Sarah Ford:
Bill Neidhardt:
Bernie Sanders
to
Tour Midwest Battleground States
***UPDATED***
Sanders to make stops in Wisconsin,
Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania to highlight Democrats’
path to victory in 2020
WASHINGTON -- U.S.
Sen. Bernie Sanders will visit
battleground states in the Midwest on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and
Monday.
Sanders will hold rallies in Madison, Wisconsin, Warren, Michigan and
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He will also meet with community members
in Gary, Indiana, and union workers in Coopersville, Michigan,
and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
In Lordstown, Ohio, Sanders will sit
down with AFT President
Randi Weingarten, experts and workers in the community to discuss
everything from plant closures to schools.
Sanders will end the swing with a stop in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania,
to participate in a town hallhosted by FOX News.
The tour will emphasize that Democrats’ clearest and strongest path to
victory in 2020 runs through the upper Midwest -- and
that Bernie Sanders
is by far the best-positioned candidate to win these states and defeat
Donald Trump. At rallies in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania --
three states that flipped and voted for Donald Trump in 2016 -- Sanders
will deliver a message focused on fighting against unfair trade deals
that undermine workers wages and enrich CEOs, rebuilding and
strengthening unions and guaranteeing health care as a right to all
with Medicare for All.
Sunday,
April
14
1 p.m. Ohio Workers Town Hall Meeting with AFT
President Randi Weingarten
Lordstown High
School,
1824
Salt
Springs
Road,
Warren,
OH
44481
Information
for
the
public:
This
event
is
free
and
open
to
the
public.
Tickets
are
not required, but an RSVP is encouraged. Entrance is
provided on a first come, first served basis.