WASHINGTON, D.C.—The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) this week announced it would not make an endorsement in the presidential primaries at this time.  

AFT president Sandra Feldman cited several reasons for the decision by the AFT Executive Council, its governing body, to abstain from endorsing a candidate this early, including the lack of any clear consensus for one candidate among AFT members and leaders, a need to delve more deeply into the positions of each candidate, and the need for further consultation with AFT members in each of the union’s divisions.

The announcement is consistent with previous actions the AFT has taken during election years in which there have been contested Democratic primaries, when the union chose not to endorse a candidate until the general election.  AFT’s action follows a recent decision by the AFL-CIO Executive Council to postpone its own endorsements.

A number of the Democratic presidential candidates have appeared at AFT meetings in recent months to engage with leaders and members in conversation about the union’s concerns and recommendations.  The AFT will continue to schedule such meetings. 

In addition, the AFT sent each of the candidates a questionnaire, soliciting their responses to questions on a number of key issues for the union.  The candidates' responses are posted on the AFT Web site.  Sections in the November issues of American Teacher, the union’s monthly newspaper for its K-12 teachers and AFT On Campus, the newspaper of AFT higher education, will include profiles of each of the candidates.

In announcing the decision, Feldman noted that there will continue to be a lot of support and activity by union members at the local level in behalf of several of the presidential candidates because many of them support policies that benefit working families.

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The AFT represents more than 1.3 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers, paraprofessionals and other school support employees, higher education faculty, nurses and other healthcare workers, and state and local government employees.