“Progress is possible”: Weingarten inspires delegates to keep fighting for a better life for all

After the 2024 convention kicked off in Houston with dancers from two San Antonio high schools, Texas AFT President and AFT Vice President Zeph Capo welcomed AFT delegates to Texas and assured them that "we will never give up the fight for our members" and for our communities.

Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum called the current struggle for justice perhaps the moment delegates were born for, and Bishop Leah Daughtry praised members' calling to serve all, including "the least, the last and the lost." Texas U.S. Reps. Sylvia Garcia and Colin Allred followed. For Garcia, one of 10 children on a South Texas farm, "Education was an equalizer." Allred credited his public school teachers for his journey from childhood poverty to Capitol Hill.

Legendary United Food and Commercial Workers co-founder (and former teacher) Dolores Huerta called teachers "the soul of our country," urging delegates to defend democratic freedoms.

Introducing AFT President Randi Weingarten, Jacksonville, Fla., teacher Amy Donofrio described the AFT's deep support-including a winning legal strategy-after she was fired for refusing to remove a Black Lives Matter flag from her classroom. UFT Visiting Nurse Service Chapter Chair Raquel Webb Geddes praised Weingarten for buying personal protective equipment for healthcare professionals at the pandemic's height. Public health practitioner and adjunct faculty Dr. Jessica Saint-Paul described how her local's members saved over $7 million through the Public Student Loan Forgiveness program thanks to the AFT's efforts.

Delegates cheered as Weingarten laid out an expansive vision for American progress and celebrated a major milestone: AFT membership has topped 1.8 million. Despite ceaseless attacks over the years, including the U.S. Supreme Court's 2018 union-busting Janus decision, the AFT is standing strong-growing by 400,000 members during Weingarten's tenure. She credited that success to our union's undaunted focus on winning real solutions for a better life for all.

That mission has wide-ranging appeal, Weingarten noted: The newest AFT members include airport ground crews, university staff, healthcare workers, bus drivers, librarians, and 27,000 educators and school staff in Fairfax County, Va.

"Why do they join the AFT? Because AFT believes in improving people's lives. Because the AFT believes in our communities and our country."

Weingarten announced that given these values, yesterday the AFT executive council voted unanimously on a proposed resolution to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee, subject to delegate approval. She also thanked President Joe Biden as "a great public servant" who has shown "incredible patriotism."

Weingarten showcased the AFT's Real Solutions campaigns: Code Red for healthcare staffing, workplace safety and high-quality care; Real Solutions for Kids and Communities for student success through proven strategies such as community schools, experiential learning and advancing literacy; the AFT's push for a federal PSRP Bill of Rights; and two new campaigns, one to combat the understaffing crisis in public services, and the other focusing on college affordability, access for all and academic freedom. And she called out extremists pushing vouchers, which tend to decrease achievement and destabilize and defund public schools.

Contrasting visions for the future of our country

Weingarten invoked Charles Dickens' "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" to depict the moment facing our country. A revival of labor activism spurs optimism, she said, but in counterpoint are numerous challenges: the prevailing mood of fear, anxiety and despair; threats to academic freedom and the right to peaceful protest; and increasing hate crimes, political violence and climate catastrophes.

She sounded the alarm about billionaires and demagogues seeking to defund public education and public services, decimate healthcare and dismantle our democracy-with the Supreme Court's extremist majority aiding and abetting them.

She cited Project 2025, a right-wing playbook put forward by the Heritage Foundation for the first 180 days of a possible second Trump administration. It's a dangerous wish list-from cutting Social Security to dismantling civil rights.

In contrast, Weingarten envisioned a country where a living wage is the norm, people can retire with dignity, healthcare is a right, and every public school is a school where educators want to teach, parents want to send their kids, and kids are excited to learn-"a country where hate has no harbor and freedom rings," she said.

Weingarten urged members to do their utmost to get out the vote in the 15 weeks before Election Day. AFT activists will be especially vital, she noted, because of the public trust they inspire.

"You are trusted, you are beloved-because you make a difference in the lives of others," she said.

She reiterated that progress is possible, but so is losing the freedoms we hold dear.

"We can't risk regretting that we didn't do more," she added.

To watch the whole opening session, including Weingarten's speech, visit YouTube or Facebook.

[Chris Bartolomeo

PHOTO CREDITS Randi: Russ Curtis, speakers: Pamela Wolfe]

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