News from AFT PSRP Archive

Get trained. Get ready. Get in the fight.

Democracy Defenders are AFT members who commit to helping voters get the information, support and protection they need to cast their ballots and have them counted. This work starts with you and grows through your local AFT affiliate. Sign up now, then invite 10 members of your local, as well as your friends and family, to become Democracy Defenders with you. And thanks, as always, for your work as an AFT activist.

School bus monitor wins $10,000 for disarming a student

For exemplifying what it means to be a great union member, a school bus assistant and AFT member in West Virginia received a Unions Power America Hometown Hero prize. The winner, Becky Turner, won the $10,000 award for disarming a student on her school bus earlier this year.

The feds want bus drivers’ personal files, so the AFT sued

Getting a commercial driver’s license means handing the government your most sensitive personal information. Now the Trump administration is demanding that state and local governments turn over this information, including files on immigration enforcement, for CDL holders. At a time of school bus driver shortages, this has become yet another cost of doing the job. The AFT has gone to court to stop this regulation because federal privacy law says that information belongs to our members, not the federal government.

AI safety must be the priority

People around the world are increasingly worried about artificial intelligence. But in her latest column, AFT President Randi Weingarten says she’s hopeful because so many are actively fighting for safeguards. While AI has the potential to be a positive force, if it is not regulated the consequences could be disastrous. Even lawmakers, business leaders and advocacy groups are joining labor in urging the tech industry to build guardrails for AI, emphasizing that safety is just as vital as innovation. Weingarten also has sent a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, urging an investigation into financial risks from AI’s rapid expansion. In the letter, Weingarten expresses concern over the threats AI poses to retirement security and the U.S. economy.

‘No Kings’ is coming: Get your people to the ballot box

We know what happens when working people use our collective power. We use it at the bargaining table, and now we’re using it to meet our communities at the ballot box. On Saturday, Oct. 17, AFT members will join millions of people nationwide for the next “No Kings” event, a day of nonpartisan voter participation. It’s an opportunity to turn people power into voter power—and to organize for what comes next. Find a No Kings event near you.

Jason Reynolds on the power of storytelling

Join AFT President Randi Weingarten, bestselling author Jason Reynolds and StoryCorps founder and President Dave Isay this Sunday, Oct. 4, at 6 p.m. EDT for a conversation celebrating the power of storytelling. They’ll explore how listening to and preserving family and community stories can build empathy, strengthen civic learning and help young people discover the power of their own voices. The conversation will also spotlight StoryCorps’ Great Thanksgiving Listen, which invites students to record the stories of people who matter to them and preserve them as part of our nation’s history. Bonus: Everyone who registers will be entered for a chance to receive StoryCorps’ new book, featuring a foreword by Reynolds.

Labor unions rally for boost in higher ed funding

AFT President Randi Weingarten joined members of AFT Pennsylvania and the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties to rally this week for a 15 percent hike in public higher education funding and urge leaders to prioritize affordable college solutions. Advocates pointed to the significant state budget cuts made to higher education in Pennsylvania in recent years, which have contributed to increased financial pressure on students as tuition costs have risen.

Why is it so hard to get by?

President Donald Trump boasts about a booming U.S. economy, but the majority of working families are experiencing something sharply different—living paycheck to paycheck and struggling under the weight of medical and student debt. The Fall 2026 American Educator explores the roots of the affordability crisis—and what we can do about it. Also in this issue: educators and a recent graduate share the value of civic education and how they’re empowering students to use their voices to heal our democracy.