The Texas AFT is a left-of-center teachers union, the Texas state-level affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and a member of the AFL-CIO labor federation. The AFT is known for its influence within the political left in the United States and is affiliated with the AFL-CIO, an international labor union federation that represents dozens of national unions and is also influential in left-of-center politics. The Texas AFT has approximately 40,000 members and is one of two major statewide teachers’ unions in Texas, the other being the Texas State Teachers Association which is affiliated with the National Education Association. The Texas AFT endorses almost exclusively Democratic candidates for public office and supported then-Vice President Kamala Harris’s 2024 campaign for president in 2024 through the AFT. ^{1 2 3 4}

Background and History

The Texas AFT was chartered as a state affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers in 1974 as the Texas Federation of Teachers and changed its name to the Texas AFT in 2007. The union reported 23,000 members in 1993 and at one point claimed to have 65,000 members; however, as of 2023 the union reported 40,000 active members. The Texas AFT is one of two major statewide teachers’ unions in Texas, the other being the Texas State Teachers Association, which is affiliated with the National Education Association. ^{4 5}

Activities

COVID-19 Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic the Texas AFT opposed efforts by Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) to return to in person school in the fall of 2020. The union launched protests in Houston, Dallas, Cedar Hill, El Paso, Socorro, Austin, Judson, South Texas, and San Antonio opposing reopening, and at least one Texas AFT affiliate, Cy-Fair AFT, obtained a legal injunction against the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District to stop the administration from requiring its teachers to enter school buildings, a ruling that was later struck down by the Texas Supreme Court. ^{6 7 8}

The Texas AFT also sued Luther Burbank High School for placing teacher Luke Amphlett on administrative leave for conducting union activities on school property in the form of openly opposing the school reopening. ⁹

Lobbying

The Texas AFT’s legislative priorities have included addressing school violence by promoting legislation banning certain types of firearms, among other initiatives, and opposing the expansion of school choice programs. The group has also consistently promoted teacher pay raises, calling for a $10,000 salary increase for teachers and a 15 percent raise for other school employees. ^{10 11}

Leadership

Zeph Capo is the president of the Texas American Federation of Teachers (Texas AFT) and was previously the president of the Houston Federation of Teachers. Capo was an outspoken opponent of the Texas government’s decision to reopen schools in the fall of 2020 with a flexible mask policy during the COVID-19 pandemic. ¹²

Endorsements

In the 2020 election, the Texas AFT endorsed 11 Democratic U.S. Representatives, 10 Democratic State Senators, 80 Democratic State Representatives, and three Democratic State Board of Education candidates. The organization endorsed no Republican U.S. Representatives, State Senators, or board of education members; however, the union did endorse 13 Republican Texas State Representatives. ¹³

In 2024, the union endorsed then-Vice President Kamala Harris for President and then-U.S. Representative Colin Allred (D-TX) for U.S. Senate along with 17 Democratic candidates in the U.S. House, and dozens of Democratic candidates for state legislative seats. ¹

1. “Texas AFT Endorsements, 2024.” Blue Voter Guide. Accessed February 9, 2025.  https://bluevoterguide.org/endorser-org/Texas_AFT/TX/1185?electionId=140&bvgVersion=2
2. “Texas AFT Unveils Our Educator’s Bill of Rights for the 89th Legislature.” Texas AFT. September 5, 2024. Accessed February 9, 2025. https://www.texasaft.org/policy/retirement/texas-aft-unveils-our-educators-bill-of-rights-for-the-89th-legislature/
3. “About Us.” Alliance AFT. Accessed February 9, 2025. https://allianceaft.tx.aft.org/about-us
4. “Texas AFT (American Federation of Teachers).” Vote Smart. Accessed February 9, 2025. https://justfacts.votesmart.org/interest-group/2972/texas-aft-american-federation-of-teachers
5. “American Federation of Teachers, State Federation – Texas.” Union Facts. Accessed February 9, 2025.  https://www.unionfacts.com/lu/515619/AFT/0#basic-tab
6. “Cy-Fair AFT sues district to halt in-person professional development.” Texas AFT. Accessed October 19, 2020. https://www.texasaft.org/releases/cy-fair-aft-sues-district-to-halt-in-person-professional-development/
7. Capo, Zeph. “A Letter from Texas AFT President Zeph Capo.” Texas AFT. September 16, 2020. Accessed February 9, 2025. https://www.texasaft.org/amp/a-letter-from-texas-aft-president-zeph-capo/
8. Bustamante, Roxie. “Students returning to school in the fall may need to be re-evaluated, union president says.” 13 Eyewitness News. June 24, 2020. Accessed February 9, 2025. https://abc13.com/tea-education-texas-educators-funding/6265306/
9. “Burbank teacher placed on administrative leave in clear violation of First Amendment rights.” San Antonio Alliance of Teachers and Support Personnel. September 2, 2020. Accessed October 19, 2020. https://www.sanantonioalliance.org/post/burbank-teacher-placed-on-administrative-leave-in-clear-violation-of-first-amendment-rights
10. Krinjak, John. “Texas AFT unveils legislative priorities to retain teachers, help students.” Fox 7 Austin. March 4, 2023. Accessed February 9, 2025. https://www.fox7austin.com/news/texas-aft-education-legislative-priorities-discussion-tammy-conrad
11. “Unpacking the Legislature: School Safety.” Texas AFT. June 30, 2022. Accessed February 9, 2025. https://www.texasaft.org/government/legislature/unpacking-the-legislature-school-safety/
12. Capo, Zeph. “A Letter from Texas AFT President Zeph Capo.” Texas AFT. September 16, 2020. Accessed October 19, 2020. https://www.texasaft.org/amp/a-letter-from-texas-aft-president-zeph-capo/
13. “2020 Endorsements.” Texas AFT. Accessed October 19, 2020. https://www.texasaft.org/campaigns/election-2020/2020-endorsements/