State of the Union

We live in perilous times. But the union movement, our movement, is about understanding and listening to the frustration and fighting back. We are fighting for a better future—in the courts and the court of public opinion, in Congress and in the streets. By organizing, mobilizing and bargaining, and through the work we do.

Our union proudly stands at the intersection of the three ways regular folks in America gain power: through public education and higher education, the labor movement and voting. The skills and knowledge people get through education—pre-K through college—expand opportunity. That’s power. Unions enhance workers’ agency and economic well-being. That’s power. Voting helps ensure officials answer to their constituents, and AFT members have the numbers to make the difference in enough congressional districts to flip control. That’s power. And that poses a threat to people who want to cling to power.

As you’ll see in this report, when we fight, we can notch big wins. That’s why the AFT is the fastest-growing union in the AFL-CIO, with 1.85 million members! Since 2022, we’ve added more than 270 new units with over 70,000 new members.

• Download the complete 2024-26 State of the Union report