Fight for Affordability and Improved Quality of Life

WHEREAS, AFT members—educators, healthcare workers and public employees are the backbone of our communities, and a relentless affordability crisis is undermining their economic security and dignity; and

WHEREAS, the AFT's December 2025 member debt survey confirmed what members already know: Working people are being squeezed from every direction. Medical debt and credit card debt are the top burdens. Three in 4 members live paycheck to paycheck. Nine in 10 cannot save enough for retirement. Housing, healthcare, energy and basic necessities are slipping beyond reach. This resolution commits the AFT to fight back—through our Fight for Affordability campaign, collective bargaining, legislative advocacy and member empowerment—so that every AFT member can live with dignity, not just survive; and

WHEREAS, key findings of AFT's 2025 member survey found:

• 74 percent of members live paycheck to paycheck; 35 percent cannot cover all monthly bills.
• 60 percent report costs rising faster than wages; 9 in 10 cannot save enough for retirement.
• 8 in 10 cite housing costs as a significant burden; 1 in 4 call it a "major challenge."
• More than half are worse off financially since the Trump administration returned to office.
• Medical debt, credit card debt, and rising energy costs are the leading drivers of financial distress; and

WHEREAS, AFT members who teach our children, heal our sick, and provide public services to keep our communities running deserve wages and benefits that reflect the value of their work; and

WHEREAS, unchecked corporate power, the erosion of collective bargaining, and the dismantling of consumer protections have compounded the economic suffering of working families; and

WHEREAS, the AFT's Fight for Affordability campaign—including the AFT Debt Navigator, Life Literacies video series, and member debt clinics—is already providing members with tools to navigate medical debt, credit card debt and predatory financial practices; and

WHEREAS, affordable housing, high-quality healthcare, retirement security and freedom from predatory debt are not luxuries but fundamental rights for working people; and

WHEREAS, many working families, including AFT members, are also experiencing increasing food insecurity due to rising costs of living, stagnant wages, housing expenses, medical bills and economic instability; and

WHEREAS, no educator, healthcare worker, public employee, or union member who works full time should have to skip meals, reduce the quality of food for their family, or struggle in silence not knowing where to turn for help; and

WHEREAS, food insecurity impacts not only physical health, but also emotional well-being, workplace performance, family stability and overall quality of life:

RESOLVED, that the AFT will acknowledge food insecurity as a serious issue affecting many working families and will work with affiliates, labor partners and community organizations to help connect members with available food assistance resources, nutritional education and community support programs; and 

RESOLVED, that the AFT will incorporate awareness of food insecurity into its Fight for Affordability campaign and continue advocating for fair wages, economic justice, and policies that allow working people to provide healthy and reliable meals for themselves and their families with dignity; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will fully expand the Fight for Affordability campaign—including the Debt Navigator tool, debt clinics, and Life Literacies resources—to reach every member and affiliate; and 

RESOLVED, that the AFT will develop a robust member financial education program, including on-site and digital debt management clinics, retirement savings workshops, and webinars with economists and consumer advocates; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will advocate at every level of government for policies that reduce medical debt, cap predatory credit card interest rates, expand affordable housing, protect pension plans and strengthen the Affordable Care Act; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will use collective bargaining to pursue wages that keep pace with the true cost of living, employer-paid healthcare, housing assistance and student loan repayment support; and 

RESOLVED, that the AFT will build coalitions with consumer, housing, and healthcare advocates and conduct annual member surveys to track economic well-being and hold policymakers accountable; and 

RESOLVED, that the AFT will use every tool at our disposal—political action, legislative advocacy, media campaigns and grassroots organizing—to ensure AFT members can build financial security and share fully in the prosperity of the nation they serve.

Adopted July 18, 2026