AFT Reaches Historic Membership as Public Sector Union Organizing Surges

Record Growth for AFT: Membership Reaches All-Time High

WASHINGTON—The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) has achieved a historic milestone, boasting the highest membership level in its 110-year history. With 1.875 million members, the union continues to attract educators, healthcare workers, and public employees nationwide.

During the AFT's 89th biennial convention this week, President Randi Weingarten announced that the union had reached a record membership of 1,875,209. This growth includes the addition of nearly 60,000 members across 179 new units over the past two years.

Since Weingarten's election in 2008, the union has expanded by 340,000 members, and nearly half a million have joined in the last 20 years. Despite the 2018 Supreme Court's Janus decision, which led to a loss of 94,000 fee-paying members, the AFT has rebounded with a net gain of 159,000 members over the last eight years.

With 3,786 locals, AFT is now the fastest-growing union within the 65-member AFL-CIO. New affiliates have been established in states such as Hawaii, Michigan, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, reflecting growth across various sectors, including healthcare, higher education, and K-12 education.

Weingarten emphasized the benefits of union membership, stating, “Life is better in a union. The AFT is a big, bad, big-hearted union made up of people who’ve dedicated their lives to caring for others. They see the value of belonging to the AFT because they want to win a voice at work and in our democracy.”

This surge in membership comes amid ongoing political challenges from extremist groups funded by dark money. Despite attempts to weaken union influence, these attacks have inadvertently strengthened the union's public profile and organizing efforts.

Efforts by organizations like the Freedom Foundation to persuade members to opt out of dues-paying membership and rely on collective bargaining agreements have not succeeded. Instead, the AFT's internal and external organizing has led to substantial membership growth.

Public support for unions is on the rise, with approval ratings not seen since the 1960s. The American public's support for unions is broad-based, with 50 million nonunion workers expressing interest in joining a union.

Economic benefits of union membership include an 11 percent wage increase compared to nonunion workers. In unionized states, even nonunion workers benefit from higher wages due to the union's presence. Teachers in unionized states earn 24 percent more, and education support professionals earn 13 percent more.

The Economic Policy Institute reported that tripling union membership could result in a 14.5 percent wage increase for the average worker, reduce inequality, close racial wage gaps, and enhance community strength and democratic engagement.

AFT affiliates have negotiated groundbreaking contracts, securing benefits such as premium-free healthcare, paid parental leave, safe staffing ratios, and robust pensions for retirement security.

Weingarten added, “The AFT is going from strength to strength—and the attacks from our billionaire enemies only make us stronger. For 18 years, I’ve been proud to lead a union that fights for a better life, not only for its members, but for all Americans. And we’re just getting started.”

New organizing since 2024:

1. Legacy Clinics Advanced Practice Providers (Oregon)
2. California College of the Arts Faculty (California)
3. Providence Health and Services Social Workers, RNs and Chaplains (Oregon)
4. University of Michigan Medical Center Behavioral Health Workers (Michigan)
5. Legacy Downtown Clinics APPs (Oregon)
6. Graduate Labor Organization Postdocs, Brown University (Rhode Island)
7. Office of Information Technology Employees, Rutgers University (New Jersey)
8. Kaleidoscope Youth Center (Ohio)
9. Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin (Wisconsin)
10. United Methodist Communities RNs (New Jersey)
11. Legacy Clinics Physicians, Women's Health Services Division clinics (Oregon)
12. Prince George’s Community College (Maryland)
13. Monticello Behavior Interventionists (Minnesota)
14. Bennington College Faculty Unit (Vermont)
15. Bennington College Staff Unit (Vermont)
16. OHSU Hospital Nurse Practitioners (Oregon)
17. Providence Portland Medical Center Diagnostic Imaging Nurses (Oregon)
18. Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital Nurses (Oregon)
19. Lebanon PSRPs (Illinois)
20. UIC Research Assistants (Illinois)
21. UIS Contingent Faculty (Illinois)
22. Kankakee Bus Drivers (Illinois)
23. CTU Resident Teachers (Illinois)
24. Warren Township – Counselors, Interventionists, Psychologist (Illinois)
25. CLC – IT (Illinois)
26. Porter Health System Techs (Vermont)
27. Inspira Medical Center RNs (New Jersey)
28. Cass Lake-Bena Paraprofessionals (Minnesota)
29. Bemidji Paraprofessionals (Minnesota)
30. Porter Health System Service and Maintenance Workers (Vermont)
31. Montana State Library Librarians (Montana)
32. University of Michigan Medicine Lab Techs (Michigan)
33. UM - Flint Full-time Faculty (Michigan)
34. Neighborhood House Charter School Professional Employees (Massachusetts)
35. Neighborhood House Charter School Non-Professional Employees (Massachusetts)
36. Providence Medical Group Nurse Practitioners (Oregon)
37. Providence Cardiac Care (Oregon)
38. WMU Medical Center Resident Physicians (Michigan)
39. University of Montana Graduate Employees (Montana)
40. Chesapeake County CC Full-time Faculty (Maryland)
41. Montana State Hospital Nurse Practitioners (Montana)
42. Providence Health and Services RNs and Support Staff (Oregon)
43. University of Kansas Faculty and Academic Staff (Kansas)
44. Hagerstown Community College Full-time Faculty (Maryland)
45. Virginia Mason Medical Center Nurses (Washington)
46. Capital City Public Charter School Teachers and Staff (District of Columbia)
47. Second City Teachers, Facilitators, and Cast Members (New York)
48. Lab Corp. - Portland (Oregon)
49. Lab Corp. - Gresham (Oregon)
50. Lab Corp. - Silverton (Oregon)
51. Lab Corp. - Tualatin (Oregon)
52. Lab Corp. - Beaverton (Oregon)
53. Lab Corp. - Portland (Oregon)
54. Lab Corp. - Vancouver (Washington)
55. Rogers Park Montessori Teachers and Teaching Assistants (Illinois)
56. DC International Charter School Professionals and Non-Professionals (District of Columbia)
57. Lycee Francais Professional Unit (Louisiana)
58. Upper Arlington Public Library Librarians and Library Workers (Ohio)
59. Avajo Technical University Professors and Lecturers (New Mexico)
60. Brooklyn Prospect Clinton Hill Middle School Charter Professionals and Non-Professionals (New York)
61. PeaceHealth Southwest Professional Employees (Washington)
62. PeaceHealth Home Hospice Professionals (Washington)
63. Codman Academy Charter School Professional Employees (Massachusetts)
64. PeaceHealth Southwest Physical and Occupational Therapy Assistants (Washington)
65. Detroit Medical Center Resident Physicians (Michigan)
66. Community Charter School of Cambridge Nonprofessionals (Massachusetts)
67. Codman Academy Charter School Nonprofessional Employees (Massachusetts)
68. Community Charter School of Cambridge Professionals (Massachusetts)
69. Fairfax County Public Schools Operational Unit (Virginia)
70. Fairfax County Public Schools Instructional Unit (Virginia)
71. University of Michigan Medicine LPNs and Techs (Michigan)
72. University of Maryland Medical Center Resident Physicians (Maryland)
73. Coschocton Medical Center LPNs and Surgical Techs (Ohio)
74. Winchendon School Professionals (New York)
75. Washtenaw Educational Options Consortium (Michigan)
76. Providence Eldercare RNs, LPNs, and Techs (Oregon)
77. Tuality Healthcare RNs (Oregon)
78. Legacy Health Clinics Advanced Practice Providers (Oregon)
79. Legacy Health Clinics Doctors (Oregon)
80. NYC DOE Public Schools Facilities Staff, Area Managers, and School Plant Managers (New York)
81. Westinghouse Arts Academy Charter School Teachers and Support Staff (Pennsylvania)
82. Job Corp, Buffalo (New York)
83. Neil Hellman School Teachers and Staff (New York)
84. Pioneer Memorial Hospital RNs and LPNs (Oregon)
85. LabCorp Portland Lab Techs (Oregon)
86. St. Charles Hospital (Bend) RN Case Managers (Oregon)
87. New Mexico School for the Deaf Faculty and Staff (New Mexico)
88. Whatcom Community College Pro Staff (Washington)
89. Athens County Librarians (Ohio)
90. Providence Benedictine RNs (Oregon)
91. University of Vermont Medical Center Utilization Management Nurse Specialists (Vermont)
92. Citizens of the World Charter School (California)
93. Central Vermont Medical Center Support Staff (Vermont)
94. Legacy Emanuel Behavioral Health Techs (Oregon)
95. Community College of Baltimore County (Maryland)
96. PeaceHealth Southwest Oncology RNs (Washington)
97. Baltimore City Community College (Maryland)
98. Paul Cuffee Charter School Upper School Faculty (Rhode Island)
99. King Center Charter School Faculty (New York)
100. One Health RNs (Montana)
101. Vermont Legal Aid (Vermont)
102. Samaritan Pacific Communities Case Managers RNs (Oregon)
103. Paul Cuffee Charter School Lower School Faculty (Rhode Island)
104. UCMC Mobile Care RNs (Ohio)
105. Mary Cariola United (New York)
106. Legacy Go Health Advanced Practice Providers (Oregon)
107. Delaware County District Library Workers (Ohio)
108. Providence St. Patrick Cancer Center RNs (Montana)
109. Legacy Health Physicians (Oregon)
110. Lockport School District Monitors (New York)
111. Northwestern Medical Center RNs (Vermont)
112. Legacy Randall Children's Hospital Nurses (Oregon)
113. Legacy Emanuel Nurses (Oregon)
114. Legacy Good Samaritan RNs (Oregon)
115. Brattleboro Memorial Hospital (Vermont)
116. UVM Techs (Vermont)
117. University of Michigan Student & Instructional Services Staff (Michigan)
118. LabCorp Lab Techs (Oregon)
119. MSU Extension Staff (Michigan)
120. Partners in Home Care Workers (Montana)
121. Metro Behavioral Health RNs (Ohio)
122. Ohio University Full-Time Faculty (Ohio)
123. Francis Parker School Assistant Teachers (Illinois)
124. Nevada State University Full-Time Faculty (Nevada)
125. Legacy Clinics Registered Nurses and RN Case Managers (Oregon)
126. Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Medical Faculty (New Jersey)
127. Nazareth University Professionals (New York)
128. Mary Bridge Children's Hospital Physicians (Washington)
129. Breakthrough Montessori Public Charter School Teachers and Staff (District of Columbia)
130. Paul Cuffee Charter School Middle School Faculty and Staff (Rhode Island)
131. UVM Health Network Home Health and Hospice Professionals and Non-Professionals (Vermont)
132. Norwalk Educational Personnel (Connecticut)
133. Judicial Professional Employees (Connecticut)
134. Seattle Children's Hospital Case Managers (Washington)
135. Legacy Health Resource/Float Pool RNs (Oregon)
136. UIUC Research Assistants (Illinois)
137. New Foundations K-8 Charter School Faculty and Staff (Pennsylvania)
138. Legacy Specialty APP Peds (Oregon)
139. Bozeman Health Big Sky Medical Center RNs (Montana)
140. Socorro School District PSRPs (New Mexico)
141. Federation of Mineral County Sheriff’s Employees, Sheriff’s Deputies and Detention Center Officers (Montana)
142. Arts and College Preparatory Academy (Ohio)
143. Porter Medical Center Professional Employees (Vermont)
144. Multicare Mary Bridge NICU Case Managers (Washington)
145. Clinton Community College Faculty (New York)
146. Portland Providence Medical Center Techs (Oregon)
147. Englewood Hospital Case Managers (New Jersey)
148. Esperanza Academy Charter High School (Pennsylvania)
149. Alliant International University Faculty (California)
150. Explore Academy Charter School Educators (New Mexico)
151. Madapequa Library Workers (New York)
152. Illinois State University Professional Staff (Illinois)
153. Backus Hospital Oncology and Infusion RNs (Connecticut)
154. Providence Willamette Medical Center Techs (Oregon)
155. Multicare Tacoma General Hospital Per Diem Nurses (Washington)
156. Kittitas Valley Healthcare Clinic RN Group (Washington)
157. Inspira Medical Center Vineland Case Managers (New Jersey)
158. Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice (New Jersey)
159. Flathead Community College Trade Instructors (Montana)
160. Multicare Tacoma General Hospital Case Managers (Washington)
161. Moore College of Art and Design Staff (Pennsylvania)
162. UNH Clinical Faculty (New Hampshire)
163. Providence Portland Medical Center Professionals (Oregon)
164. Ohio State University Medical Center Anesthesia Techs (Ohio)
165. Rutland Regional Medical Center Support Staff (Vermont)
166. Rutland Regional Medical Center Techs (Vermont)
167. Multicare Good Samaritan Oncology Triage RNs (Washington)
168. Oakland Medical Faculty (Michigan)
169. Art in Motion Charter School Educators (Illinois)
170. City Center for Collaborative Learning Charter School Professionals and Non-Professionals (Arizona)
171. Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital Techs (Oregon)
172. Six Directions Indigenous Charter School Teachers and Support Staff NM
173. Swedish Medical Group Hospitalists (Washington)
174. Seneca Family of Agencies Teachers and Staff (California)
175. Columbus Metropolitan Libraries Employees (Ohio)
176. New Bridge Medical Center Peer Recovery Specialists (New Jersey)
177. Ferris College Non-Tenure Faculty (Michigan)
178. Western PA School for Blind Children Staff (Pennsylvania)

UI-Springfield Non-Tenure Faculty (Illinois)

The AFT represents 1.8 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers; paraprofessionals and other school-related personnel; higher education faculty and professional staff; federal, state and local government employees; nurses and healthcare workers; and early childhood educators.

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