Reaffirming The AFT's Commitment To Organizing

WHEREAS, the AFT’s mission has been the advocacy and attainment of workers' rights and human rights, particularly for the educators, healthcare professionals and public employees we represent as well as the communities we all serve, through organizing, union representation, collective bargaining and legislation; and

WHEREAS, unions have become cool again with historic support for unions across party lines, especially from young Americans and the younger generation of workers being more pro-union at their age, fueled by highly publicized national work stoppages and the proliferation of organizing campaigns among younger workforces at companies such as Starbucks and Amazon; and

WHEREAS, public support for unions remains high, and working people understand that union membership is crucial to achieving better wages, benefits and working conditions; and

WHEREAS, since the 2022 convention, the AFT has added more than 166 units and 24,425 new members in all divisions through internal and external organizing efforts, with healthcare and higher education workers accounting for more than 80 percent of the growth, reflecting the increasing recognition of the value of union membership among those doing this crucial work and highlighting a continued focus in organizing in those two areas; and

WHEREAS, workplace organizing provides a means by which we secure a better life and economic security for the members we represent and the children, patients, students and communities we serve; and the AFT is committed to advocating for these values at the bargaining table; the ballot box; and in our schools, colleges and universities, healthcare facilities, public institutions and communities; and

WHEREAS, the national AFT Organizing Committee plays a crucial role in bringing together elected local and state leaders committed to organizing and strengthening our union across every constituency, affiliate and workplace, to provide guidance on opportunities and challenges in new organizing and in AFT's ongoing efforts to foster a culture of organizing and engagement among our leaders and members; and

WHEREAS, despite ongoing hostility from employers and attacks on the right to associate, the right to organize and the right to collectively bargain from both extremist political forces and ever growing and consolidating mega-corporations, private equity and the economic elite who benefit from the efforts of our labor, AFT's organizing efforts have been met with increasing support from working people seeking a voice in the workplace:

RESOLVED, that the AFT will continue to prioritize organizing and growing our membership on all levels—local, state and national—to empower more employees with the benefits of unionism and give them and their families and communities a stronger voice in their workplaces and society; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT, through our national Organizing Committee, will continue to bring together elected leaders from around the union to provide guidance on building a culture of organizing that encompasses every division and affiliate; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will maintain our commitment to advocating for workers' rights and human rights, fighting for the real solutions that get us there—at the bargaining table or ballot box; in our schools, colleges and universities, public institutions and healthcare facilities; and on our streets, to ensure that all workers have the opportunity to thrive and that their collective voice shapes a better future for everyone.