The AFT along with the American Association of University Professors, filed an amicus curiae brief Nov. 13 in the Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association case before the U.S. Supreme Court. The case threatens to make it harder for working people to join together and speak out together.
AFT President Randi Weingarten—who is a lawyer, was admitted to the Supreme Court and co-wrote the brief—says, “Working people are struggling to get ahead, and this case will make it worse, especially for our children. When educators come together in a union, they are able to advocate not just for better pay and benefits but for a higher-quality public education for their students.
“Through their union, educators receive professional development to help them implement reform initiatives vital to helping all students succeed in this 21st-century economy. Through their union, educators participate on health and safety committees to raise concerns—like leaky roofs or asbestos—and devise plans to keep their students healthy. If the court overturns 40 years of precedent, it will be much harder for unions to do this vital work. When working people can speak up together, our children are better off.”
