AFT

AFT’s Weingarten on the Passage of the Social Security Fairness Act AFT President Randi Weingarten issued the following statement after the Social Security Fairness Act passed the Senate, capping a decades-long fight for retirement justice for educators, nurses, firefighters, first responders and other public employees: “Today, justice was finally done for the millions of American workers who dedicated their lives to serving the public but had their retirements throttled by a punitive and unnecessary loophole. The Senate joined the House and delivered on its promise to pass the Social Security Fairness Act so that every public employee can retire with dignity and grace. “This bill had wide bipartisan support from lawmakers and their constituents for one simple reason: It’s about basic fairness. President Biden, from the start of his administration, has acted decisively on retirement security and we hope he will sign the bill quickly. “Everyone knows a teacher, firefighter, law enforcement officer, nurse or public worker who’s paid into Social Security year after year, only to have their payments curbed by the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset when they retire. Now, that penalty will be consigned to the dustbin of history, where it belongs. “Ensuring a fair and secure retirement is how we respect the workers who uplift our communities. And it’s how we recruit and retain the next generation to help our country thrive. “We are so grateful to the bill’s sponsors—Reps. Abigail Spanberger and Garret Graves and Sens. Sherrod Brown and Susan Collins—and to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for shepherding this bill through the legislative process. For our retirees and for our future, we, and the 118th Congress, have made a difference.” https://lnkd.in/e_hxjygt

Writing for The American Prospect, Harold Meyerson says, "Weingarten’s speech stands as the clearest description and prescription that a labor leader has offered to the broad liberal community in the wake of Trump’s victory." Watch the highlights and read the full article.

Thank you to our 1.8 million members. You’re making a real difference for kids and communities every single day. Enjoy the time with your loved ones.

“Americans support the two engines of opportunity at the core of my union—the labor movement and public education. Voters approved school funding measures across the country, and they rejected or repealed school voucher proposals everywhere they were on the ballot. Americans don’t need a strongman promising to “fix” their lives. They need a great education and a union contract so they can get ahead, build the middle class and ensure that communities can rise together.” -AFT President Randi Weingarten https://lnkd.in/eWRsbVa8

Coming up this Sunday!

AFT President Randi Weingarten issued the following statement on the outcome of the 2024 election: “The voters have spoken. While we hoped and fought for a different outcome, we respect both their will and the peaceful transfer of power. “At this moment, the country is more divided than ever, and our democracy is in jeopardy. Last night, we saw fear and anger win. “Over the next few weeks, there will be a lot of ‘could have, should have, would have.’ But the bottom line for most people who voted—and we saw many of them as we crisscrossed the country—was ‘who will help us improve our lives, the lives of our families and our communities?’ “We believed it was Kamala Harris; more people believed it was Donald Trump. “At the same time, our opportunity engines—labor unions and public schools—remain popular and enduring. It means we must fight for the means and agency to secure a better life, and that public education and a growing labor movement are more important than ever. For example, while Trump won Kentucky, the ballot initiative there to destroy public schools lost. “Many people today are devastated; many are excited. Many wonder whether the arc of the universe does bend to justice; many wonder whether our democratic institutions will hold. “These are questions that are not knowable today, but I pray we are curious and introspective enough to understand what happened and ask how we unify the country. What binds us as Americans is far more important than what divides us. “I do know one thing: Educators, healthcare professionals and public employees will be doing everything they can to make a difference in the lives of the people they serve. And our guiding principle will be to continue to do the work to improve people’s lives: to fight for our children’s future and the promise of America.” # # # #

Some of our staff finally got to check out the AFT Votes bus that has been traveling the country since Labor Day. Thank you to every staffer, member, and volunteer who is getting out the vote. When we vote, we win!

Special message to AFT members from Governor Tim Walz!

Kamala Harris has an economic plan that will build on this progress so kids and communities thrive.

This election is close. And your vote and your voice matter. People trust you, because you make a difference in their lives and in their kids and their families’ lives.