AFT

“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 Voters approved school funding measures across the country, and they rejected or repealed school voucher proposals everywhere they were on the ballot.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.?

"This election is about whether we build a future of opportunity and economic dignity for all, or get dragged into a past of chaos, fear and hate. It’s about whether we recognize that the strength of our nation lies in lifting each other up, not pulling us apart. It’s about two very different candidates—one sowing fear, the other solving problems." https://lnkd.in/e-_5yGpx

Corporate greed has led to the closure of essential hospitals and services and dangerously low staffing levels—but together we’re standing up for patients, healthcare workers, and communities. In the new AFT Health Care, read about how AFT Connecticut, the Oregon Nurses Association, and the Montana Nurses Association are organizing Code Red campaigns to protect health professionals from workplace violence and other staffing-related challenges. Then, dive into the harms of hospital mergers and private equity’s predatory tactics—and see how coalitions of health professionals and community groups are fighting back. Also in this issue: the benefits of a diverse healthcare workforce and how the Biden-Harris administration has decreased costs and increased access to healthcare. https://lnkd.in/ekUeTWVG

The AFT Votes Bus Tour 2024 is charging full steam ahead! We've already rallied communities across the country, fired up member volunteers, and are on a mission to keep the momentum going for crucial local and statewide elections. Together, we’re paving the way to victory for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz this November. Let’s finish strong and get out the vote! #AFTvotes