Public Employees | June 2025

No kings, just us

In America, we don’t do kings—and that was by design. From the start, this country rejected monarchy and embraced the idea that power belongs to the people, not one person or party. We vote for presidents, not kings. Our public dollars should fund public good—not political spectacle. Together, our peaceful civic action is patriotic, powerful, and deeply American, as AFT members lead the way—at our workplaces, in the streets and across the labor movement. Join your local No Kings rally tomorrow.

Public employees fight back for democracy

Mobilization for nonviolent direct action took center stage at the AFT Public Employees Professional Issues Conference May 29-31 in Denver, with members learning tips and tactics for peaceful assembly. Before the conference, members received hands-on training in mobilizing to protect democracy and in providing basic first aid at protests and marches. They continued with conference sessions on organizing and leadership, highlighted by how to get through the next few years.

Pride 2025: Activating joy and resistance

It was a jam-packed week of celebration and serious organizing as the AFT LGBTQIA+ Task Force gathered during World Pride in Washington, D.C., June 5-8. While it’s easy (and fun!) to get caught up in rainbow glam, pride is more than a party. “It is action,” as one participant said, and the task force got busy lobbying on Capitol Hill, networking with other advocacy groups and planning for continued action on behalf of LGBTQIA+ people and their communities. Read about the AFT events and listen to our Union Talk podcast on World Pride.

5 things to know about the MAHA report

The Trump administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” report claims to address childhood chronic diseases but is riddled with misinformation, misleading science and contradictions. Republicans’ efforts in Congress to slash Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and public health funding further undermine the report’s credibility. Learn the basics about SNAP and see these five essentials about the MAHA report.

The changing landscape of student debt

As the Trump administration takes aim at higher education, withholding federal funding from colleges and squelching free speech, it is also attacking student debt relief—a tool that makes college more accessible and affordable to those who might benefit most. With policies changing and threats spreading across all aspects of student aid, the AFT held a webinar May 8 to sort it out.