AFT Posts Highest-Ever Membership of 1.88 Million as Union Popularity Surges

WASHINGTON-The AFT has topped the highest membership in its 110-year history as workers across America flock to organize with the 1.88 million-strong union that cares, fights, shows up and "gets shit done."

At the union's 89th biennial convention this week, AFT President Randi Weingarten announced a record membership number of 1,875,209, with nearly 60,000 members in 179 new units organized over the last two years.

Since Weingarten was first elected in 2008, the union has grown by 340,000, with close to half a million members added during the last two decades. After the June 2018 Supreme Court decision in Janus-a case funded by far-right front groups-eliminated 94,000 fee-paying AFT members with the stroke of a pen, the union quickly recovered that shortfall and piled on an additional 65,000 members for a net gain of 159,000 over eight years.

The AFT, with 3,786 locals, is now the fastest-growing union in the 65-member AFL-CIO, with major new affiliates in states including Hawaii, Michigan, North Carolina and Pennsylvania and new organizing across healthcare, higher education, early childhood education and K-12 sectors from coast to coast.

"Life is better in a union," said Weingarten. "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."

The extraordinary growth comes against the backdrop of relentless political attacks from extremist lobby groups funded by dark money billionaires and pumped out verbatim by a dishonest conservative media ecosystem. But this PR strategy has backfired spectacularly: The level of vitriol directed at Weingarten and the AFT has only raised the public profile of the union and its leaders, buttressing new organizing efforts and stiffening the spines of existing members.

Coordinated disinformation campaigns by far-right special interest groups, including the Freedom Foundation, to coerce existing members to opt out of dues-paying union membership and "free ride" on their union's collective bargaining agreement, have also proven unsuccessful, with nominal yearly losses swamped by a deluge of new internal and external organizing.

Meanwhile, union approval is surging with the American public to levels not seen since the 1960s, with a level of bipartisan support uncommon among the country's core institutions. Fifty million nonunion workers say they'd join a union tomorrow if they could.

Union workers' wages are 11 percent higher than nonunion workers-and nonunion workers in unionized states earn more by virtue of the union's presence. Unionized teachers earn 24 percent more in states with collective bargaining, and education support professionals earn 13 percent more.

The Economic Policy Institute found this week that tripling union membership would deliver a 14.5 percent raise for the average worker, reverse one-third of the increase in inequality experienced since 1979, significantly narrow racial wage gaps, boost the number of people with health insurance, strengthen communities and protect democracy.

AFT affiliates have consistently secured pathbreaking contracts with premium-free healthcare for their members and families, paid parental leave, safe staffing ratios in healthcare facilities and guaranteed retirement security through robust pensions.

"The AFT is going from strength to strength-and the attacks from our billionaire enemies only make us stronger," added Weingarten. "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)

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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.