AFT (American Federation of Teachers)

AFT (American Federation of Teachers)
Name	American Federation of Teachers
Abbreviation	AFT
Type	Labor union
Founded	1916
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Key people	Randi Weingarten
Membership	1.7 million (approx.)

AFT (American Federation of Teachers) is a major American labor union representing educators, paraprofessionals, higher education faculty, and public employees. Founded in 1916, it has been active in collective bargaining, educational policy, and political advocacy across the United States. The organization has interacted with numerous institutions and figures such as the AFL–CIO, National Education Association, U.S. Department of Education, New York City Department of Education, and public officials including Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and Joe Biden.

History

The organization emerged in 1916 amid Progressive Era debates alongside groups like American Federation of Labor, Congress of Industrial Organizations, and unions representing workers in Chicago, New York City, and Boston. Early leaders engaged with figures such as John Dewey, Florence Kelley, and Samuel Gompers while negotiating issues related to World War I mobilization, Great Depression relief programs, and New Deal agencies like the National Recovery Administration. During the mid-20th century the union confronted Red Scare tensions involving House Un-American Activities Committee and labor disputes tied to Taft–Hartley Act. AFT played roles in civil rights-era alliances with organizations like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and policy debates involving the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and Civil Rights Act of 1964. Later decades saw engagement with No Child Left Behind Act, Race to the Top, and interactions with municipal authorities in places such as Chicago Public Schools, Los Angeles Unified School District, and Detroit Public Schools Community District.

Organization and Governance

Governance has involved periodic conventions, executive councils, and presidents including leaders who worked with political figures such as Al Gore and Hillary Clinton. Structural alignment connects the union to labor federations like AFL–CIO and state affiliates across California, New York, Texas, Florida, and Illinois. Administrative offices coordinate with institutions such as the National Labor Relations Board, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, and municipal offices in Washington, D.C. Leadership elections, bylaws, and financial disclosures follow labor law precedents shaped by cases like Abood v. Detroit Board of Education and legislation such as the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act.

Membership and Affiliates

Membership spans teachers in K–12 districts including Chicago Public Schools, Boston Public Schools, and Houston Independent School District, higher education faculty at institutions like City University of New York, University of California, and community college systems, as well as healthcare workers in municipal services and public employees in jurisdictions like Philadelphia and Seattle. Affiliates include state and local organizations across Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Georgia, and Arizona. The union has collaborated with professional associations including American Association of University Professors and labor bodies such as Service Employees International Union and Teamsters on coalition campaigns.

Political Activity and Advocacy

The union has been active in electoral politics, campaign finance, and policy advocacy, endorsing candidates like Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and various gubernatorial and mayoral contenders. It lobbies Congress and agencies including the U.S. Department of Education and committees such as the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and has filed amicus briefs in Supreme Court cases alongside groups like National Education Association and civil rights organizations. It has engaged with policy proposals such as the Every Student Succeeds Act, debates over charter school expansion in cities like Detroit and New Orleans, and federal funding priorities during administrations of George W. Bush and Donald Trump.

Labor Actions and Collective Bargaining

AFT units have conducted strikes and bargaining campaigns in places such as West Virginia, Chicago, Los Angeles, Portland, Oregon, and Oakland, California. Collective bargaining has addressed wages, class size, benefits, teacher evaluation systems tied to assessments like those from Educational Testing Service, and retirement plans involving systems such as California Public Employees' Retirement System and Teachers' Retirement System of the City of New York. The union has used tools including arbitration with panels influenced by precedents like NLRB v. Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp. and coordinated actions with state-level affiliates during contract negotiations.

Controversies and Criticisms

Critiques have arisen over stances on tenure and evaluation tied to standardized assessments developed by organizations such as College Board and PARCC, alliances or tensions with charter school networks like KIPP and Success Academy Charter Schools, and political endorsements considered controversial by reform advocates including Michelle Rhee and Diane Ravitch. Internal disputes involved locals in Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles with debates over dues, leadership, and strategy resembling conflicts seen in unions like Teamsters and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Legal challenges have engaged courts influenced by rulings such as Janus v. AFSCME and legislative shifts at state capitols including Wisconsin and Indiana.

Programs, Initiatives, and Publications

The organization runs professional development programs, curricula initiatives, and research collaborations with institutions like Harvard University, Stanford University, Teachers College, Columbia University, and think tanks such as Economic Policy Institute and Brookings Institution. Publications include journals and policy briefs addressing pedagogy, labor rights, and public policy while partnering with foundations such as Ford Foundation and Carnegie Corporation of New York. Initiatives have covered early-childhood education pilots, collective bargaining training, and community outreach similar in scope to programs led by United Way and public-sector reform efforts in locales like Baltimore and Cleveland.

Category:Trade unions in the United States