Labor Union

American Federation of Teachers (AFT)

American Federation of Teachers (logo) (link)
Website:

www.aft.org

Location:

WASHINGTON, DC

Tax ID:

36-0725240

Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(5)

Budget (2016):

Revenue: $199,887,935
Expenses: $203,313,093
Assets: $97,908,224

Type:

National Labor Union

Founded:

1916 1

References

  1. “History.” American Federation of Teachers. 2016. Accessed December 06, 2016. http://www.aft.org/about/history
Union Membership:

Voting Members: 1,626,716

Associate Members: 51,059

Agency Fee Payers: 85,788

Agency fee payers are non-members of the union required to pay dues as a condition of employment 1

References

  1. American Federation of Teachers, Department of Labor Annual Report (Form LM-2), 2018, Schedule 13. Voting members are sum of the membership classes for which voting eligibility is reported as “yes.”
President:

Rhonda “Randi” Weingarten

President's Compensation:

Gross Salary: $405,793

Total Disbursements: $514,144

1

References

  1. American Federation of Teachers, Department of Labor Annual Report (Form LM-2), 2018, Schedule 11

Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) is the second-largest teachers’ union in the United States. The union represents roughly 1.5 million members, most of whom work in teaching and education-related jobs as well as nursing.1 The union is a member of the AFL-CIO.

The AFT, like most public-sector unions, is a major player in liberal policy and Democratic Party politics. The union and union president Rhonda “Randi” Weingarten are associated with the Democracy Alliance network of liberal mega-donors.2 AFT and its associated political committees are also substantial contributors to Democratic candidates and party committees: According to the Center for Responsive Politics, those committees have spent upwards of $80 million on federal elections, with $79 million going to Democrats and left of center groups.3

The union’s political positions focus on preserving privileges for teachers largely regardless of teacher quality. The AFT is a staunch defender of “tenure” policies that make it exceptionally difficult to remove ineffective teachers from the classroom.4 Additionally, the union opposes many efforts to bring pension contributions and expenditures into long-run balance.5

Numerous AFT local unions have been affected by serious corruption committed by senior officers in the local unions. The Washington Teachers Union, the United Teachers of Dade, and the Broward Teachers Union all suffered substantial financial losses from financial corruption committed by their officers.6 The AFT locals in Chicago and New York City have also been embroiled in highly controversial local politics.

Union president Randi Weingarten is a longtime union official, having served previously as president of the AFT-affiliated local teachers union in New York City, the United Federation of Teachers. In her work as New York’s teacher union president, Weingarten gained infamy for her aggressive defense of teachers awaiting dismissal hearings for misconduct in the city’s “rubber rooms.” One principal went so far as to suggest Weingarten “would protect a dead body in the classroom.”7

History

Origins

The American Federation of Teachers grew out of the early labor movement of the 1910s, officially organizing in 1916. After New Deal-era labor laws restricted management interference in labor union organizing, the AFT grew substantially and began to engage in collective bargaining throughout the cities of the industrial Northeastern United States.8

By the 1960s, the AFT and its local unions were making substantial impacts on education policy. In 1968, the AFT local in New York City led by Albert Shanker staged three strikes that shuttered 85 percent of New York’s public schools in an attempt to reverse decisions to decentralize school control. The strikes succeeded despite strong objections from New York’s African-American communities.9

The Albert Shanker Era

After rising to prominence by leading the strikes in New York, United Federation of Teachers union president Albert Shanker was elected president of the national union in 1974.10 Shanker double-jobbed as UFT and AFT president simultaneously, an arrangement that lasted until he stepped down as UFT leader in 1986.11

When Shanker took over the AFT, teaching was already America’s most unionized occupation based on a factory-style model of adversarial labor-management relations.12 Despite his combative reputation in New York, Shanker was open to limited educational reforms, endorsing at various points in his career performance pay, teacher licensing exams, and peer review. Shanker also backed proposals for alternative management of some public schools that evolved into the modern charter school movement.13

After Shanker: Feldman and McElroy

In 1997, Shanker, then suffering from cancer that would eventually kill him, stepped down as AFT president in favor of Sandra Feldman, then the UFT president. Feldman was a longtime Shanker colleague and ally, supporting his controversial 1968 strike. As UFT leader, Feldman faced criticism for insisting on prohibiting the NYC school system from reassigning successful teachers to failing schools. Feldman was also a close ally of New York mayor David Dinkins (D).14

While at the national AFT, Feldman worked closely with Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Massachusetts) on the No Child Left Behind Act.15 Feldman was a staunch opponent of the school choice proposals offered by Republican-led legislatures in Michigan, Ohio, and other states.16

Feldman fell ill with cancer in the early 2000s, and stepped down for health reasons in 2004. She was succeeded by AFT secretary-treasurer Edward McElroy, who gained a reputation for reforming the internal practices of the union, tying it more closely with the AFL-CIO and strengthening the AFT’s political operations.17 During the 2008 U.S. presidential election, McElroy aligned the AFT with the campaign of Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.).18

Weingarten

In 2008, McElroy stepped aside and the union chose UFT president Randi Weingarten to succeed him. Weingarten had led the UFT since 1998, battling city mayors Rudy Giuliani (R) and Michael Bloomberg (I) over school reforms and contracts.19

Weingarten gained a reputation in New York for her aggressive defense of teachers in the city’s infamous “rubber room” disciplinary process, under which teachers facing adjudications of misconduct continue collecting their paychecks in Temporary Reassignment Centers rather than classrooms, often for years.20 When she was elevated to the national AFT presidency, Weingarten was praised as a reform-minded union leader, given her rhetorical openness to changes to teacher compensation and assignments.21

However, in practice Weingarten and the AFT continue to resist most reforms. The union opposed accountability regulations advanced by the Department of Education to implement the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act.22 The union also organized opposition to various public-employee labor reforms proposed by state legislatures, helping lead the futile efforts to remove Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (R) from office in 2012.23

Weingarten is a longtime confidant of 2016 Democratic Party presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. AFT contributed $500,000 to Clinton-associated nonprofits, including the Clinton Foundation and Clinton Global Initiative, during its 2016 fiscal year.24 The AFT backed Clinton early in the Democratic Party primaries, formally endorsing the former Secretary of State in July 2015.25 During Clinton’s 2016 presidential candidacy, commentators speculated that Weingarten might be asked to serve as Clinton’s Secretary of Education had she been elected.26 During the campaign, former Weingarten aide Hartina Flournoy served as chief of staff to former President Bill Clinton.27

Post Janus v. AFSCME

On June 27, 2018, the Supreme Court ruled in Janus v. AFSCME that it was unconstitutional to force state employees to pay union dues and fees. With AFT’s LM-2 filed later than most, it better reflects a full year under the new ruling. AFT lost a total of 4.3 percent of its total financial base, losing 75,944 fee payers. Of those, 82,713 “agency fee payers” were lost. The organization gained 6,769 individuals in other areas to cover the loss, with 8,546 new retiree members. Their overall financial situation took a large hit as well, losing 9.1 percent of their total member-based revenue. The total per capita taxes received by AFT dropped from $196.8 million to $178.8 million, representing a significant loss in actionable revenue. 28

Strike for Black Lives

On July 20, 2020, American Federation of Teachers participated in the “Strike for Black Lives.” Labor unions and other organizations participated in the mass strike in 25 different cities to protest racism and acts of police violence in the United States. 29

Employees in the fast food, ride-share, nursing home, and airport industries left work to participate in the strike. Protesters sought to press elected officials in state and federal offices to pass laws that would require employers to raise wages and allow employees to unionize so that they may negotiate better health care, child support care, and sick leave policies. Protesters stressed the need for increased safety measures to protect low-wage workers who do not have the option to work from home during the coronavirus pandemic.

Organizers of the protest claimed that one of the goals of the strike is to incite action from corporations and the government that promotes career opportunities for Black and Hispanic workers. Organizers stated that the strike was inspired by the Memphis sanitation workers’ strike in 1968 over low wages, inhuman working conditions, and a disparity in the distribution of benefits to black and white employees.

They stated that the purpose of the “Strike for Black Lives” is to remove anti-union and employment policies that prevent employees from bargaining collectively for better working conditions and wages. 30

Meddling with CDC COVID-19 Guidelines

In May 2021, during the COVID-19 epidemic, the New York Post reported that the AFT had lobbied for and even created certain policies implemented in the CDC’s school reopening guidelines released in February of 2021. 31 The Post reported that email correspondence between CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky and AFT officials, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, showed that the AFT had been allowed to suggest edits to the CDC’s school reopening plans, some of which were incorporated into the final guidelines issued to the public. 32 Edits by the AFT that were eventually incorporated into the CDC guidelines most notably included a provision stating that work concessions be made for teachers with health conditions qualifying them as “at risk” to COVID-19, allowing them to decline returning to in-person instruction. 33

Medical experts on the COVID-19 virus, such as Dr. Monica Ghandi of University of California, San Francisco, called the AFT’s meddling in the creation of the CDC guidelines “very, very troubling,” adding that political interest groups like the AFT getting to add their own special policies “is not how science-based guidelines should work or be put together.” 34 At the time of the guidelines’ release in February CDC director Walensky insisted that the new guidelines would “follow the science” and were “free from political meddling.” 35

Citing a reversal in the CDC director’s attitude towards school reopening after the AFT was consulted, the Wall Street Journal called the AFT’s intervention a “non-scientific political intervention,” and claimed that “the Biden Administration is letting a powerful Democratic interest group dictate virus guidelines.” 36 During the 2020 election cycle the AFT and its affiliates spent more than $20 million in support of Democratic Party candidates. 37

Political Positions and Expenditures

Like most labor unions, the American Federation of Teachers has an aggressive political advocacy operation. The union’s 2016 annual report shows that the AFT spent $28.6 million on political activities and lobbying in that fiscal year.38

Political Positions

The American Federation of Teachers is a major political player in the debates over education. Nationally, AFT puts pressure on federal and state Education Departments to protect teacher job protections. The AFT is a vocal critic of reforms to teacher tenure and expansions of charter schools, with aggressive public relations campaigns against charter school and tenure reform advocates.

Teacher tenure, the practice of protecting teachers from firing after as few as two years on the job, has become highly controversial in recent years. AFT and front groups it and its local unions fund have aggressively attacked tenure reformers, most notably former journalist Campbell Brown.39 In response to charges by Weingarten that Brown was controlled by her husband, Republican advisor Dan Senor, center-left columnist Kristen Powers condemned the AFT’s tactics.40

The AFT has also targeted charter schools and their supporters. The union presses heavily for what it calls “accountability” for the publicly funded but independently run schools: In practice, accountability more closely resembles a program of no new charters. The AFT funds groups like Center for Popular Democracy that push the “accountability” narrative.41 AFT president Randi Weingarten praised the defeat of a measure to prevent charter school expansion in Massachusetts in 2016.42 Other AFT officials have gone farther; the president of AFT’s Georgia state division compared a finding that Georgia ranked high in school choice with Chicago ranking high in murder rates.43

Political Expenditures

The AFT is a major funder of liberal political causes and Democratic political candidates both through political action committees and union dues. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the AFT’s political committees spent over $79 million to help Democrats get elected to federal office from the beginning of Federal Election Commission records through November 2016.44 Of AFT’s total federal contributions, over 99 percent supported Democrats.45

The AFT and its local unions are also deeply involved in state and local politics. The Center for Responsive Politics reports that AFT was the fifth-largest organization contributor to the Democratic Governors Association in the 2014 midterm election cycle, with $2,725,000 in contributions reported.46 AFT local unions strongly supported the mayoral election campaigns of Democratic Party-aligned mayors like Martin Walsh of Boston, James Kenney of Philadelphia, and Sylvester Turner of Houston.47

In addition to contributions to candidates, parties, party committees, and candidates’ committees, the AFT spends large sums on lobbying and contributing to non-party political organizations. The AFT is reportedly a member of the progressive donor clearinghouse Democracy Alliance, and the union has paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to the organization.48

In 2016, Department of Labor records show that the AFT spent $28.6 million on political expenditures and lobbying.49 Notable recipients of AFT contributions and political spending include Democratic-aligned SuperPACs Priorities USA Action ($1 million), Emily’s List ($625,000), and American Bridge 21st Century ($300,000); Working America, the AFL-CIO political mobilization project for non-unionized workers ($329,000); the Clinton Foundation ($250,000); progressive organizing groups including the Center for Popular Democracy ($215,000); and liberal think tanks such as the State Innovation Exchange ($200,000).50

In 2019, the AFT gave $50,000 to Women’s March, Inc. after it had already become public knowledge that the Women’s March and much of its leadership had ties to anti-Semitic figures. 51 52

Leadership

Randi Weingarten has been president of the American Federation of Teachers since 2009. Prior to taking office as head of the national union, Weingarten led the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), the AFT local union representing teachers in New York City.53 A career union functionary, Weingarten worked for former UFT and AFT president Sandra Feldman as an attorney from 1986 to 1998 before winning union office in the late 1990s.54

Loretta Johnson, the AFT Secretary-Treasurer, is also a longtime union officer. Before her elevation to the AFT Executive Board in 2008, she served as president of the para-professional division of the Baltimore Teachers Union and the Maryland state chapter of the AFT.55 In 2016, Johnson received $281,460 in gross salary with total disbursements of $358,225.56

Mary Catheryn Ricker serves as the Executive Vice President of the AFT. Prior to her elevation to the national executive board, Ricker served as president of the St. Paul Federation of Teachers.57 In 2016, Ricker was paid $242,097 in gross salary with total disbursements of $311,311.58

The AFT operates a handful of think tanks and 501(c) organizations. The Albert Shanker Institute, a 501(c)(3) organization, operates as a union-associated think tank.59

AFT has a separate 501(c)(3), the American Federation of Teachers Education Foundation. It has received substantial grants from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, including to promote and assist in the implementation of the Common Core State Standards curriculum initiatives.60 The Common Core grants caused controversy within the union, and the AFT ultimately broke future financial ties with the Gates Foundation.61

References

  1. American Federation of Teachers, Department of Labor Annual Report (Form LM-2), 2016, Schedule 11
  2. Markay, Lachlan. “Teacher Union President Defends Democracy Alliance Support.” Washington Free Beacon. July 8, 2014. Accessed December 08, 2016. http://freebeacon.com/issues/teacher-union-president-defends-democracy-alliance-support/
  3. Center for Responsive Politics. “Top Organization Contributors.” Opensecrets. October 28, 2016. Accessed December 09, 2016. http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php?cycle=ALL
  4. Evans, Andrew. “Campbell Brown: Teacher Tenure Must End.” Washington Free Beacon. October 2, 2014. Accessed December 09, 2016. http://freebeacon.com/issues/campbell-brown-teacher-tenure-must-end/
  5. “Public Pensions.” American Federation of Teachers. Accessed December 09, 2016. http://www.aft.org/position/public-pensions
  6. Center for Union Facts. “AFT Corruption.” AFT Facts. 2016. Accessed December 09, 2016. https://www.aftfacts.com/aft-corruption/
  7. Brill, Steven. “The Rubber Room.” The New Yorker. August 31, 2009. Accessed December 09, 2016. http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/08/31/the-rubber-room
  8. American Federation of Teachers. “History.” American Federation of Teachers. 2016. Accessed December 09, 2016. http://www.aft.org/about/history
  9. Berger, Joseph. “Albert Shanker, 68, Combative Leader Who Transformed Teachers’ Union, Dies.” The New York Times. February 23, 1997. Accessed December 12, 2016. http://www.nytimes.com/1997/02/24/nyregion/albert-shanker-68-combative-leader-who-transformed-teachers-union-dies.html
  10. Berger, Joseph. “Albert Shanker, 68, Combative Leader Who Transformed Teachers’ Union, Dies.” The New York Times. February 23, 1997. Accessed December 12, 2016. http://www.nytimes.com/1997/02/24/nyregion/albert-shanker-68-combative-leader-who-transformed-teachers-union-dies.html
  11. Berger, Joseph. “Albert Shanker, 68, Combative Leader Who Transformed Teachers’ Union, Dies.” The New York Times. February 23, 1997. Accessed December 12, 2016. http://www.nytimes.com/1997/02/24/nyregion/albert-shanker-68-combative-leader-who-transformed-teachers-union-dies.html
  12. Toch, Thomas. “Tensions of the Shanker Era: A Speech That Shook the Field.” Education Week. March 26, 1997. Accessed December 12, 2016. http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/1997/03/26/26toch.h16.html
  13. Toch, Thomas. “Tensions of the Shanker Era: A Speech That Shook the Field.” Education Week. March 26, 1997. Accessed December 12, 2016. http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/1997/03/26/26toch.h16.html
  14. Berger, Joseph. “Sandra Feldman, Scrappy and Outspoken Labor Leader for Teachers, Dies at 65.” September 20, 2005. Accessed December 12, 2016. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/20/nyregion/sandra-feldman-scrappy-and-outspoken-labor-leader-for-teachers.html?_r=0
  15. Keller, Bess. “Former AFT Leader Dies of Cancer.” Education Week. September 19, 2005. Accessed December 13, 2016. http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2005/09/19/04feldman_web.h25.html
  16. Tell, David. “Judges and Schools.” Weekly Standard. September 13, 1999. Accessed December 13, 2016. http://www.weeklystandard.com/judges-and-schools/article/11205
  17. Greenhouse, Steven. “Teachers’ Union President to Step Down; New Yorker Is Seen as Successor.” The New York Times. February 13, 2008. Accessed December 13, 2016. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/13/education/13teachers.html
  18. Greenhouse, Steven. “Teachers’ Union President to Step Down; New Yorker Is Seen as Successor.” The New York Times. February 13, 2008. Accessed December 13, 2016. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/13/education/13teachers.html
  19. Herszenhorn, David M. “Metro Briefing | New York: Teachers’ Union President Re-Elected.” The New York Times. April 02, 2004. Accessed December 14, 2016. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/02/nyregion/metro-briefing-new-york-teachers-union-president-re-elected.html
  20. Brill, Steven. “The Rubber Room.” The New Yorker. August 31, 2009. Accessed December 09, 2016. http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/08/31/the-rubber-room
  21. Dillon, Sam. “Head of Teachers’ Union Offers to Talk on Tenure and Merit Pay.” The New York Times. November 17, 2008. Accessed December 14, 2016. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/education/18teach.html
  22. Strauss, Valerie. “New Rules, Old Fight: Critics Say U.S. Proposals on Implementing Education Law Are Heavy Handed.” The Washington Post. May 26, 2016. Accessed December 15, 2016. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/05/26/new-rules-old-fight-critics-say-u-s-proposals-on-implementing-education-law-are-heavy-handed
  23. Roth, Collin. “UNCOVERED: United Wisconsin.” Media Trackers. October 14, 2011. Accessed December 15, 2016. http://mediatrackers.org/wisconsin/2011/10/14/uncovered-united-wisconsin
  24. McMorris, Bill. “10 Percent of Teachers Union’s Charity Goes to Clinton Philanthropy.” Washington Free Beacon. October 3, 2016. Accessed December 15, 2016. http://freebeacon.com/politics/10-percent-teachers-unions-charity-goes-clinton-philanthropy/
  25. Shah, Nirvi. “American Federation of Teachers Endorses Hillary Clinton for President.” POLITICO. July 11, 2015. Accessed December 14, 2016. http://www.politico.com/story/2015/07/aft-endorses-hillary-clinton-for-president-119988
  26. Klein, Alyson. “Who Might Be a Clinton Education Secretary?” Education Week. August 08, 2016. Accessed December 14, 2016. http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2016/08/clinton_education_secretary_candidates.html
  27. Biddle, Rishawn. “AFT Spends Big on Hillary.” Dropout Nation. September 29, 2016. Accessed December 15, 2016. http://dropoutnation.net/2016/09/29/aft-spends-big-on-hillary/
  28. Nelsen, Maxford. “AFT Annual Report Discloses Post-Janus Membership Decline.” Freedom Foundation, October 9, 2019. https://www.freedomfoundation.com/labor/aft-annual-report-discloses-post-janus-membership-decline/.
  29. Morrison, Aaron. “AP Exclusive: ‘Strike for Black Lives’ to highlight racism”. Associated Press. July 8, 2020. https://apnews.com/d33b36c415f5dde25f64e49ccc35ac43
  30. Morrison, Aaron. “AP Exclusive: ‘Strike for Black Lives’ to highlight racism”. Associated Press. July 8, 2020. https://apnews.com/d33b36c415f5dde25f64e49ccc35ac43
  31. Levine, Jon. “Powerful Teachers Union Influenced CDC on School Reopenings, Emails Show.” New York Post. New York Post, May 1, 2021. https://nypost.com/2021/05/01/teachers-union-collaborated-with-cdc-on-school-reopening-emails/.
  32. Levine, Jon. “Powerful Teachers Union Influenced CDC on School Reopenings, Emails Show.” New York Post. New York Post, May 1, 2021. https://nypost.com/2021/05/01/teachers-union-collaborated-with-cdc-on-school-reopening-emails/.
  33. Levine, Jon. “Powerful Teachers Union Influenced CDC on School Reopenings, Emails Show.” New York Post. New York Post, May 1, 2021. https://nypost.com/2021/05/01/teachers-union-collaborated-with-cdc-on-school-reopening-emails/.
  34. Levine, Jon. “Powerful Teachers Union Influenced CDC on School Reopenings, Emails Show.” New York Post. New York Post, May 1, 2021. https://nypost.com/2021/05/01/teachers-union-collaborated-with-cdc-on-school-reopening-emails/.
  35. Levine, Jon. “Powerful Teachers Union Influenced CDC on School Reopenings, Emails Show.” New York Post. New York Post, May 1, 2021. https://nypost.com/2021/05/01/teachers-union-collaborated-with-cdc-on-school-reopening-emails/.
  36. Board, The Editorial. “Opinion | The Centers for Politics and Unions.” The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company, May 5, 2021. https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-centers-for-politics-and-unions-11620168584.
  37. Levine, Jon. “Powerful Teachers Union Influenced CDC on School Reopenings, Emails Show.” New York Post. New York Post, May 1, 2021. https://nypost.com/2021/05/01/teachers-union-collaborated-with-cdc-on-school-reopening-emails/.
  38. American Federation of Teachers, Department of Labor Annual Report (Form LM-2), 2016, Statement B
  39. Goodman, Alana. “Union-Backed Lobbying Group Attacking Education Reformer.” Washington Free Beacon. August 8, 2014. Accessed December 16, 2016. http://freebeacon.com/issues/union-backed-lobbying-group-attacking-education-reformer/
  40. Powers, Kirsten. “Teachers union launches sexist attack against Campbell Brown.” Indianapolis Star. August 19, 2014. Accessed December 16, 2016. http://www.indystar.com/story/opinion/2014/08/19/teachers-union-launches-sexist-attack-campbell-brown/14301395/
  41. Biddle, Rishawn. “AFT’s Charter School Hypocrisy.” Dropout Nation. March 04, 2015. Accessed December 16, 2016. http://dropoutnation.net/2015/03/04/afts-charter-school-hypocrisy/
  42. “AFT Leaders on Massachusetts’ Ballot Question 2 on Charter School Expansion.” American Federation of Teachers. November 8, 2016. Accessed December 16, 2016. http://www.aft.org/press-release/aft-leaders-massachusetts-ballot-question-2-charter-school-expansion
  43. Antonucci, Mike. “Georgia AFT President Compares School Choice to Murder.” Intercepts. December 10, 2015. Accessed December 19, 2016. http://www.eiaonline.com/intercepts/2015/12/10/georgia-aft-president-compares-school-choice-to-murder/
  44. Center for Responsive Politics. “Top Organization Contributors.” OpenSecrets. November 28, 2016. Accessed December 19, 2016. http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php?cycle=ALL
  45. Center for Responsive Politics. “Top Organization Contributors.” OpenSecrets. November 28, 2016. Accessed December 20, 2016. http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php?cycle=ALL
  46. Center for Responsive Politics. “Democratic Governors Assn.” Opensecrets. November 30, 2015. Accessed December 19, 2016. https://www.opensecrets.org/527s/527cmtedetail_contribs.php?cycle=2014&%3Bein=521304889
  47. Lowery, Wesley. “American Federation of Teachers revealed as funder behind mysterious pro-Walsh PAC during mayoral campaign.” BostonGlobe.com. December 28, 2013. Accessed December 21, 2016. https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/12/28/american-federation-teachers-revealed-funder-behind-mysterious-pro-walsh-pac-during-mayoral-campaign/g58NRCxjp3OMZLtoBQE0yN/story.html ; Kerkstra, Patrick. “Citified’s No-Bullshit Mayoral Election Guide.” Philadelphia Magazine. May 14, 2015. Accessed December 21, 2016. http://www.phillymag.com/citified/2015/05/14/philadelphia-mayor-voter-guide/ ; Texas AFT. “A Big Election Win in Houston.” Texas AFT. December 15, 2015. Accessed December 21, 2016. http://www.texasaft.org/big-election-win-houston/
  48. Markay, Lachlan. “Teacher Union President Defends Democracy Alliance Support.” Washington Free Beacon. July 8, 2014. Accessed December 20, 2016. http://freebeacon.com/issues/teacher-union-president-defends-democracy-alliance-support/
  49. American Federation of Teachers, Department of Labor Annual Report (Form LM-2), 2016, Line 51
  50. American Federation of Teachers, Department of Labor Annual Report (Form LM-2), 2016, Schedules 16 and 17
  51. American Federation of Teachers, Department of Labor Annual Report (Form LM-2), 2019, Schedules 14
  52. Goldenberg, Ashley Rae. “Leftist Groups Distance Themselves from Discredited Women’s March.” Capital Research Center. Capital Research Center, January 18, 2019. https://capitalresearch.org/article/leftist-groups-distance-themselves-from-discredited-womens-march/.
  53. Martinez, Barbara. “Big Payout for Ex-Union Chief.” The Wall Street Journal. January 12, 2011. Accessed December 21, 2016. http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703791904576076272235367188
  54. “Randi Weingarten.” American Federation of Teachers. Accessed December 21, 2016. http://www.aft.org/about/leadership/randi-weingarten
  55. “Lorretta Johnson.” American Federation of Teachers. Accessed December 22, 2016. http://www.aft.org/about/leadership/lorretta-johnson
  56. American Federation of Teachers, Department of Labor Annual Report (Form LM-2), 2016, Schedule 11
  57. “Mary Cathryn Ricker.” American Federation of Teachers. Accessed December 22, 2016. http://www.aft.org/about/leadership/mary-cathryn-ricker
  58. American Federation of Teachers, Department of Labor Annual Report (Form LM-2), 2016, Schedule 11
  59. “About the Albert Shanker Institute.” Accessed December 27, 2016. http://democracyweb.org/node/105
  60. “How We Work: Grant.” Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. April 2011. Accessed December 27, 2016. http://www.gatesfoundation.org/How-We-Work/Quick-Links/Grants-Database/Grants/2011/04/OPP1033412
  61. Strauss, Valerie. “Teachers union cites Common Core in decision to cut Gates funding.” The Washington Post. March 11, 2014. Accessed December 27, 2016. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2014/03/11/teachers-union-cites-common-core-in-decision-to-cut-gates-funding/?utm_term=.968ca210ae06

Directors, Employees & Supporters

  1. Andrew Pallotta
    Vice President
  2. Kathy Chavez
    Vice President
  3. David Gray
    Vice President
  4. Francis J. Flynn
    Vice President
  5. Eric Feaver
    Vice President
  6. Marietta A. English
    Vice President
  7. Jolene T. DiBrango
    Vice President
  8. Aida Diaz Rivera
    Vice President
  9. Evelyn DeJesus
    Vice President
  10. Melissa Cropper
    Vice President
  11. Larry Carter
    Vice President
  12. Jan Hochadel
    Vice President
  13. Don Carlisto
    Vice President
  14. Alex Caputo-Pearl
    Vice President
  15. Zeph Capo
    Vice President
  16. Christine Campbell
    Vice President
  17. Barbara Bowen
    Vice President
  18. Mary J. Armstrong
    Former Vice President
  19. J. Philippe Abraham
    Vice President
  20. Mary Cathryn Ricker
    Former Executive Vice President
  21. David Hecker
    Vice President
  22. Fedrick Ingram
    Vice President
  23. Loretta Johnson
    Board Secretary-Treasurer
  24. Joshua Pechthalt
    Vice President
  25. Nat Lacour
    Former Board Secretary-Treasurer
  26. Edward J. McElroy
    President Emeritus (2004-2008)
  27. Adam Urbanski
    Vice President
  28. Tim Stoelb
    Vice President
  29. Wayne Spence
    Vice President
  30. Denise Specht
    Vice President
  31. Stephen Rooney
    Vice President
  32. David J. Quolke
    Vice President
  33. Paul Pecorale
    Vice President
  34. Candice Owley
    Vice President
  35. Jerry T. Jordan
    Vice President
  36. Ruby Newbold
    Vice President
  37. Michael Mulgrew
    Vice President
  38. Martin Messner
    Vice President
  39. John McDonald
    Vice President
  40. Joanne M. McCall
    Vice President
  41. Louis Malfaro
    Former Vice President
  42. Fred Kowal
    Vice President
  43. Ted Kirsch
    Vice President
  44. Michelle Ringuette
    Assistant to the President

Donor Organizations

  1. Public Citizen (Non-profit)

Donation Recipients

  1. A. Philip Randolph Educational Fund (Non-profit)
  2. A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI) (Non-profit)
  3. Tides Advocacy (The Advocacy Fund) (Non-profit)
  4. Albert Shanker Institute (Non-profit)
  5. Alliance for Global Justice (AFGJ) (Non-profit)
  6. Alliance for Quality Education (Non-profit)
  7. Alliance for Retired Americans Educational Fund (Non-profit)
  8. America Votes (Non-profit)
  9. American Bridge 21st Century (AB PAC) (Political Party/527)
  10. American Constitution Society for Law and Policy (Non-profit)
  11. American Family Voices (Non-profit)
  12. American Prospect (Non-profit)
  13. Americans Against Double Taxation (Non-profit)
  14. Americans for Democratic Action (ADA) (Non-profit)
  15. Americans for Economic Growth (Non-profit)
  16. Arise Chicago (Non-profit)
  17. Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (APALA) (Labor Union)
  18. Ballot Initiative Strategy Center (Non-profit)
  19. Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton Foundation (Non-profit)
  20. Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI) (Non-profit)
  21. BlueGreen Alliance (Non-profit)
  22. California Federation of Teachers (CFT) (Labor Union)
  23. CASA in Action (Non-profit)
  24. Center for American Progress (CAP) (Non-profit)
  25. Center for American Progress Action Fund (CAP Action) (Non-profit)
  26. Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) (Non-profit)
  27. Center for Popular Democracy (CPD) (Non-profit)
  28. Center for Popular Democracy (CPD) Action Fund (Non-profit)
  29. Center for the Study of Social Policy (Non-profit)
  30. Citizens for Tax Justice (Non-profit)
  31. Clinton 2016 Presidential Campaign (Political Party/527)
  32. Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) (Non-profit)
  33. Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (Labor Union)
  34. Coalition of Labor Union Women (Labor Union)
  35. Committee on States (Other Group)
  36. Community Labor United (Non-profit)
  37. Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (Non-profit)
  38. Congressional Black Caucus Institute (Non-profit)
  39. Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (Non-profit)
  40. Congressional Progressive Caucus Center (CPCC) (Non-profit)
  41. Convergence Center for Policy Resolution (Non-profit)
  42. Courier Newsroom (Non-profit)
  43. Democracy Alliance (DA) (Other Group)
  44. Democracy Corps (Non-profit)
  45. Democratic Governors Association (DGA) (Political Party/527)
  46. Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) (Political Party/527)
  47. Demos (Non-profit)
  48. Economic Policy Institute (EPI) (Non-profit)
  49. Education Law Center (Non-profit)
  50. EMILY’s List (Other Group)
  51. Essential Information (Non-profit)
  52. Faith and Politics Institute (Non-profit)
  53. Family Values @ Work (Non-profit)
  54. Feminist Majority Foundation (Non-profit)
  55. For Our Future (PAC) (Political Party/527)
  56. For Our Future Action Fund (Political Party/527)
  57. Gamaliel Foundation (Non-profit)
  58. Good Jobs First (Non-profit)
  59. Greater Wisconsin Committee (Political Party/527)
  60. Grow Your Own Illinois (Non-profit)
  61. Hispanic Federation (Non-profit)
  62. House Majority PAC (Political Party/527)
  63. Institute for Women’s Policy Research (Non-profit)
  64. Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (Non-profit)
  65. International Labor Rights Forum (Non-profit)
  66. iVote (Political Party/527)
  67. Jewish Labor Committee (Non-profit)
  68. Jobs With Justice Education Fund (Non-profit)
  69. Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (Non-profit)
  70. Labor Project for Working Families (Non-profit)
  71. Latino Victory Fund (Political Party/527)
  72. Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (Non-profit)
  73. Leadership Conference Education Fund (Non-profit)
  74. Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (LCCHR) (Non-profit)
  75. League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) (Non-profit)
  76. Movement Alliance Project (Non-profit)
  77. Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) (Non-profit)
  78. Metropolitan Organizing Strategy Enabling Strength (MOSES) (Non-profit)
  79. MoveOn Civic Action (MoveOn.org) (Non-profit)
  80. MoveOn.org Political Action (Political Party/527)
  81. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) (Non-profit)
  82. NARAL Pro-Choice America (Non-profit)
  83. National Action Network (NAN) (Non-profit)
  84. National Association for Bilingual Education (Non-profit)
  85. NALEO Educational Fund (Non-profit)
  86. National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (Non-profit)
  87. National Council of Negro Women (Non-profit)
  88. National Day Laborer Organizing Network (Non-profit)
  89. National Democratic Institute (NDI) (Non-profit)
  90. National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC) (Political Party/527)
  91. National Democratic Training Committee (NDTC) (Political Party/527)
  92. National Employment Law Project (NELP) (Non-profit)
  93. National Immigration Forum (NIF) (Non-profit)
  94. National Immigration Law Center (Non-profit)
  95. National Rainbow PUSH Coalition (Non-profit)
  96. Netroots Nation (Non-profit)
  97. New Mexico Voices for Children (Non-profit)
  98. New Venture Fund (NVF) (Non-profit)
  99. New York Communities for Change (NYCC) (Non-profit)
  100. North Star Fund (Non-profit)
  101. Partnership for Working Families (Non-profit)
  102. Patriot Majority USA (Non-profit)
  103. People for the American Way (PFAW) (Non-profit)
  104. People for the American Way (PFAW) Foundation (Non-profit)
  105. Planned Parenthood Votes (Political Party/527)
  106. Policy Matters Ohio (Non-profit)
  107. Pride at Work (Non-profit)
  108. Priorities USA (PAC) (Political Party/527)
  109. Priorities USA Action (Non-profit)
  110. Public Accountability Initiative (Non-profit)
  111. Repairers of the Breach (Non-profit)
  112. Resources Legacy Fund (Non-profit)
  113. Roosevelt Institute (Non-profit)
  114. Ruckus Society (Non-profit)
  115. Run for Something (RFS) (Political Party/527)
  116. Senate Majority PAC (Political Party/527)
  117. Sixteen Thirty Fund (1630 Fund) (Non-profit)
  118. Social Good Fund (Non-profit)
  119. State Innovation Exchange (SIX) (Non-profit)
  120. Strong Economy for All Coalition (Non-profit)
  121. Sunrise Movement Education Fund (Non-profit)
  122. TakeAction Minnesota (Non-profit)
  123. TYPE Media Center (Non-profit)
  124. National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund (Non-profit)
  125. UltraViolet (Non-profit)
  126. UnidosUS (formerly National Council of La Raza) (Non-profit)
  127. United Association for Labor Education (Non-profit)
  128. United We Dream (Non-profit)
  129. VoteVets.org PAC (Political Party/527)
  130. RePower (Wellstone Action) (Non-profit)
  131. Women’s Congressional Policy Institute (formerly Women’s Policy Inc.) (Non-profit)
  132. Women’s March (National) (Non-profit)
  133. Working America (Labor Union)
  134. Working Families Organization (WFO) (Non-profit)
  135. Working for Us PAC (Political Party/527)

Supported Movements

  1. Medicare-for-All
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: June - May
  • Tax Exemption Received: February 1, 1945

  • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2016 Jun Form 990 $199,887,935 $203,313,093 $97,908,224 $84,468,139 Y $0 $196,850,278 $1,129,351 $1,296,975
    2015 Jun Form 990 $191,531,485 $202,484,955 $108,250,642 $88,591,327 Y $0 $188,178,835 $1,026,524 $1,061,001 PDF
    2014 Jun Form 990 $188,016,319 $195,555,614 $103,345,247 $70,099,330 Y $0 $184,425,240 $1,062,571 $1,197,807 PDF
    2013 Jun Form 990 $179,766,007 $181,056,258 $112,637,233 $70,362,654 Y $0 $175,189,026 $1,124,774 $1,315,637 PDF
    2012 Jun Form 990 $178,303,994 $182,894,328 $103,919,048 $60,140,423 Y $0 $174,593,512 $1,134,640 $1,418,416 PDF
    2011 Jun Form 990 $176,265,529 $189,438,183 $106,127,973 $57,070,488 Y $0 $172,481,676 $1,069,806 $1,273,146 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    American Federation of Teachers (AFT)

    555 NEW JERSEY AVE NW
    WASHINGTON, DC 20001-2029