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NFFE Forest Service Workers Sound the Alarm on Agency Reorganization at U.S. Capitol
WASHINGTON, June 24 [Category: Union] -- The National Federation of Federal Employees issued the following news release:
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NFFE Forest Service Workers Sound the Alarm on Agency Reorganization at U.S. Capitol
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Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Forest Service (USFS) workers and members of the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) voiced their concerns regarding the proposed USFS reorganization at a press conference at the steps of the U.S. Capitol. Hosted by Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO), along with Reps. Bynum (D-OR), Dexter (D-OR), Harder (D-CA), Huffman (D-CA) and Panetta (D-CA),
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WASHINGTON, June 24 [Category: Union] -- The National Federation of Federal Employees issued the following news release:
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NFFE Forest Service Workers Sound the Alarm on Agency Reorganization at U.S. Capitol
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Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Forest Service (USFS) workers and members of the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) voiced their concerns regarding the proposed USFS reorganization at a press conference at the steps of the U.S. Capitol. Hosted by Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO), along with Reps. Bynum (D-OR), Dexter (D-OR), Harder (D-CA), Huffman (D-CA) and Panetta (D-CA),the event centered on addressing the wildfire challenges resulting from the illegal agency reorganization, funding cuts, and low staffing issues.
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Three NFFE-IAM members spoke at the press conference focusing on the impact that the so-called reorganization will have on public lands and the dedicated workers who protect and maintain them.
Genny Kotyk, NFFE Forest Service Council President discussed how restructuring and the loss of highly trained professionals would lead to a termination of statutory work the agency is mandated by Congress to perform. Justin Brown, NFFE-FSC Vice President and wildland firefighter on the Lassen National Forest in California, spoke about the strained workforce and safety risks to fire crews caused by cutting funding and staff. Buzz Hettick, a biological scientist with 39 years of service at the agency, talked about the critical data and institutional knowledge that he has dedicated his career to being permanently lost if research stations are shut down.
NFFE National President Randy Erwin and Secretary-Treasurer Max Alonzo both delivered remarks, explaining that the reorganization is prohibited under Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations laws, and how the dismantling of the agency and the Trump administration's intent to sell or give away public lands to private individuals or corporations will result in the theft of resources that rightfully belong to the American people.
"It is so important that Congress hears the warning that NFFE members are sending this week regarding this reckless plan," said President Erwin. "These are the boots on the ground employees and leaders in their workplaces who have dedicated their lives to serving their communities with the Forest Service. They know best how the dismantling of the agency will impact the health and survival of public lands, permanently lost for future generations. We cannot let this administration dismantle this historic and beloved institution. Congress must stand up and do its job to protect our cherished national forests and resources."
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Original text here: https://www.nffe.org/press-release/nffe-forest-service-workers-sound-the-alarm-on-agency-reorganization-at-u-s-capitol/
Largest Federal Employee Union Endorses 3 Arizona Lawmakers for Reelection to Congress
WASHINGTON, June 24 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO American Federation of Government Employees issued the following news release:
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Largest Federal Employee Union Endorses 3 Arizona Lawmakers for Reelection to Congress
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AFGE says Reps. Ansari, Stanton, and Grijalva support federal workers and their rights
LAKEWOOD, Calif. - The American Federation of Government Employees today announced its endorsement of three members of Congress for reelection to the U.S. House representing Arizona in the 2026 elections. The statewide primary is July 21, and the general election is Nov. 3.
The
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WASHINGTON, June 24 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO American Federation of Government Employees issued the following news release:
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Largest Federal Employee Union Endorses 3 Arizona Lawmakers for Reelection to Congress
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AFGE says Reps. Ansari, Stanton, and Grijalva support federal workers and their rights
LAKEWOOD, Calif. - The American Federation of Government Employees today announced its endorsement of three members of Congress for reelection to the U.S. House representing Arizona in the 2026 elections. The statewide primary is July 21, and the general election is Nov. 3.
Theendorsed candidates are Reps. Yassamin Ansari (CD-3), Greg Stanton (CD-4), and Adelita Grijalva (CD-7).
"Representatives Ansari, Stanton, and Grijalva have spent their time in Congress supporting Arizona's working class. They have stood their ground to make Arizona a better place to work for everyone, including the federal employees we represent at AFGE," AFGE District 12 NVP Mario Campos said.
Rep. Yassamin Ansari (CD-3)
Yassamin Ansari was sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives in January 2025, making history as the youngest woman in the 119th Congress and the first Iranian-American Democrat elected to Congress. She also serves as freshman class president for Democrats in the 119th Congress.
Prior to her election to Congress, Ansari served as vice mayor of Phoenix and was the youngest woman ever elected to the Phoenix City Council, representing one of the city's most diverse districts in the fifth largest and fastest-growing city in the country.
Rep. Greg Stanton (CD-4)
Greg Stanton is a proven champion for Arizona families. As mayor of Phoenix from 2012-2018, he didn't just manage growth - he reshaped the city's economy around innovation and trade, creating thousands of quality jobs and driving some of the strongest wage growth in the nation.
Since first being elected to Congress in 2018, Rep. Stanton has focused on Arizona's water future, investing in transit, lowering costs for working families, and building out the state's 21st-century economy. He is the cofounder of the Extreme Heat Caucus and currently serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the Foreign Affairs Committee, and the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.
Rep. Adelita Grijalva (CD-7)
Adelita Grijalva was first elected to public office in 2002, when she was elected to the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board, the largest school district in Tucson and the second-largest district in Arizona. There, as a volunteer elected official, she led the successful effort to significantly expand pre-school availability at district schools, fiercely defended Mexican-American studies and bilingual curriculum from attacks by the Arizona State Legislature, and advocated for investments in public schools in historically overlooked communities.
In September 2025, Grijalva was elected to Congress in a special election to replace her father, Rep. Raul Grijalva, who died in March 2025 after serving in the U.S. House since 2003.
Nearly 64,000 federal employees live in Arizona - caring for veterans, supporting the military, ensuring the safety of our food and air, and getting Social Security recipients their benefits accurately and on time.
AFGE is the largest federal employee union in the country, representing more than 820,000 federal and D.C. government workers in all functions of government. AFGE represents more than 10,000 federal employees in District 12, which includes Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Nevada.
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Original text here: https://www.afge.org/link/73e25c86a345479d8b97131022fa1656.aspx
IRS Employees Delivered Despite Challenging Tax Season
WASHINGTON, June 24 [Category: Union] (TNSrpt) -- The National Treasury Employees Union issued the following news release:
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IRS Employees Delivered Despite Challenging Tax Season
Despite a difficult set of challenges, including the loss of around 30,000 employees, the IRS performed better than expected in the 2026 tax season, according to the new National Taxpayer Advocate report released today. Still, taxpayers who required assistance often struggled to get it due to massive cuts to the IRS workforce
While 99 percent of tax returns were processed without significant delay, the IRS answered
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WASHINGTON, June 24 [Category: Union] (TNSrpt) -- The National Treasury Employees Union issued the following news release:
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IRS Employees Delivered Despite Challenging Tax Season
Despite a difficult set of challenges, including the loss of around 30,000 employees, the IRS performed better than expected in the 2026 tax season, according to the new National Taxpayer Advocate report released today. Still, taxpayers who required assistance often struggled to get it due to massive cuts to the IRS workforce
While 99 percent of tax returns were processed without significant delay, the IRS answered20 percent fewer calls than last filing season, according to Erin M. Collins, who leads the independent watchdog agency of the IRS. Additionally, filings requiring manual processing increased by roughly 17 percent compared to last filing season.
"Let's be clear: the IRS owes its success to the hard work and dedication of its workforce," said NTEU National President Doreen Greenwald. "IRS employees, to their credit, have managed to do more with less, but these deep cuts have taken a toll.
The report says the number of fully staffed Taxpayer Assistance Centers (TAC) fell to 42, down from 102 in the 2025 filing season.
"For some taxpayers, phone and online service are not enough," Collins said in her report to Congress. "TACs protect the right to quality service by giving these taxpayers access to in-person assistance."
NTEU, which represents tens of thousands of frontline IRS employees around the country, has long urged Congress to restore the agency's depleted operating budget and invest more in staffing, training and technology.
"The budget cuts and staffing losses are well documented, as is the damage being done to our voluntary tax system," said Greenwald.
The need for additional staffing has become increasingly apparent, as the IRS recently requested authority to hire approximately 8,000 employees to help restore workforce capacity and improve service to taxpayers.
Among those taxpayers hit the hardest this past filing season are those who needed additional help beyond standard processing channels-including identity theft victims, taxpayers responding to IRS correspondence, and taxpayers who needed in-person or telephone assistance. They faced longer waits, confusing notices, reduced access to live help and unresolved account problems, according to the report.
"No taxpayer should be left out in the cold for needing help paying their fair share," said Greenwald. "A smaller, less effective IRS undercuts the whole tax system and deprives our government of much-needed revenue."
NTEU represents employees in 38 different federal agencies and departments.
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REPORT: https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/JRC27_FullReport.pdf
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Original text here: https://www.nteu.org/media-center/News Releases/2026/06/24/TaxpayerAdvocateReport
AFT and NEA Call on Democratic Governors to Reject Trump Private School Voucher Scheme
WASHINGTON, June 24 -- The National Education Association issued the following news release on June 23, 2026:
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AFT and NEA Call on Democratic Governors to Reject Trump Private School Voucher Scheme
Unions representing 4.8 million educators warn voucher program would drain funding from public schools
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In an open letter sent today to the nation's Democratic governors, the presidents of the country's two largest teachers unions, the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), urged Democratic governors to reject the Trump administration's private
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WASHINGTON, June 24 -- The National Education Association issued the following news release on June 23, 2026:
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AFT and NEA Call on Democratic Governors to Reject Trump Private School Voucher Scheme
Unions representing 4.8 million educators warn voucher program would drain funding from public schools
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In an open letter sent today to the nation's Democratic governors, the presidents of the country's two largest teachers unions, the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), urged Democratic governors to reject the Trump administration's privateschool voucher program, calling it a grave and urgent threat to the public schools that serve nearly 90 percent of the nation's K-12 students.
"Public education is a core value of our communities and the foundation of a thriving democracy," AFT President Randi Weingarten and NEA President Becky Pringle wrote in the letter. "Every child deserves access to a high-quality education in well-supported public schools."
"The program is a Trojan horse carrying near-universal K-12 private school vouchers into every state that participates--even states where voters have rejected vouchers at the ballot box," Pringle and Weingarten wrote.
The letter comes on the heels of another letter sent earlier this month by three dozen education unions in 23 Democratic-led states, urging their governors not to opt into the scheme.
The new letter also warns that states choosing to opt into the voucher program do so at the expense of students. They also will likely face long-term fiscal strain as vouchers "shrink" public school enrollment, reducing per-pupil state revenue while fixed-costs remain. The scheme will force state budgets to cover the funding gaps. The unions warn of a potential $50 billion annual price tag for the program nationally, which could lead to further cuts to federal programs for the most vulnerable students, such as those supported by Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
The letter notes the voucher program is a core element of Project 2025 and points to the 2024 Democratic National Committee platform, which explicitly opposed "private-school vouchers, tuition tax credits, opportunity scholarships, and other schemes that divert taxpayer-funded resources away from public education."
"The underlying strength of America rests on the provision of education to all as a public good. We shouldn't gamble our future on promises made by an administration relentlessly dedicated to undermining that public good. Rejecting the Trump administration's voucher program helps to preserve and protect the future of public education for our students, families, and communities," wrote Weingarten and Pringle.
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The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing more than 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, students preparing to become teachers, healthcare workers, and public employees. Learn more at www.nea.org.
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INFODOC: https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/2026/Joint_AFT_NEA_Open_Letter_to_Democratic_Governors.pdf
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Original text here: https://www.nea.org/about-nea/media-center/press-releases/aft-and-nea-call-democratic-governors-reject-trump-private-school-voucher-scheme
[Category: Union]
St. Rose Hospital nurses plan informational picket to demand fair contract
SILVER SPRING, Maryland, June 23 [Category: Union] -- National Nurses United issued the following news release:
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St. Rose Hospital nurses plan informational picket to demand fair contract
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Nurses at St. Rose Hospital in Hayward, Calif., will hold an informational picket to demonstrate mounting opposition among staff and community to stalling in contract negotiations with Alameda Health System (AHS), the hospital's operator. Nurses and patients are particularly outraged about St. Rose management attempting to sub-contract out of the fifth floor at the hospital to Stanford Medicine, potentially
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SILVER SPRING, Maryland, June 23 [Category: Union] -- National Nurses United issued the following news release:
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St. Rose Hospital nurses plan informational picket to demand fair contract
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Nurses at St. Rose Hospital in Hayward, Calif., will hold an informational picket to demonstrate mounting opposition among staff and community to stalling in contract negotiations with Alameda Health System (AHS), the hospital's operator. Nurses and patients are particularly outraged about St. Rose management attempting to sub-contract out of the fifth floor at the hospital to Stanford Medicine, potentiallycreating two tiers of health care for patients in Hayward.
Who: RNs from St. Rose Hospital
What: Picket for a fair contract and against two-tier health care at St. Rose Hospital
When: Thursday, June 25, 2-4 p.m.
Where: St. Rose Hospital 27200, Calaroga Ave., Hayward, Calif.
"Management has stalled negotiations and blamed missing federal funds," said Amanda Saad, RN and charge nurse in the emergency department with 20 years of experience at St. Rose. "It's on our local administrators and elected officials to find a way to preserve patient care and save our health system while maintaining a high quality of patient care for the most vulnerable in the Hayward community. We're demanding nothing less."
Registered nurses at St. Rose Hospital are calling on management to end plans to contract out the fifth floor of the hospital to Stanford Medicine, raising concerns that this move could create two tiers of health care within the hospital, exacerbating existing barriers to care for lower-income patients.
Nurses are also upset about management's refusal to respond to nurses' contract proposals that would protect staff from workplace violence and improve staff recruitment and retention, measures that would bring St. Rose in line with other facilities in the Bay Area and in AHS.
St. Rose is a safety net hospital and the only hospital in Hayward. CNA represents approximately 180 registered nurses at St. Rose Hospital, where RNs have been in contract negotiations since January 2026.
California Nurses Association/National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the nation with more than 100,000 members in more than 200 facilities throughout California and more than 225,000 RNs nationwide.
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Original text here: https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/st-rose-hospital-nurses-plan-informational-picket-to-demand-fair-contract
Nation's largest union of registered nurses joins U.S. representatives to call for end to blockade of Cuba
SILVER SPRING, Maryland, June 23 [Category: Union] -- National Nurses United issued the following news release:
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Nation's largest union of registered nurses joins U.S. representatives to call for end to blockade of Cuba
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National Nurses United, the nation's largest union of registered nurses, and U.S. Representative Delia Ramirez will hold a press conference in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, June 30 to demand an end to the Trump administration's blockade of oil supplies entering Cuba. Union nurses will be joined by Global Health Partners, which is working to supply the island nation with
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SILVER SPRING, Maryland, June 23 [Category: Union] -- National Nurses United issued the following news release:
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Nation's largest union of registered nurses joins U.S. representatives to call for end to blockade of Cuba
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National Nurses United, the nation's largest union of registered nurses, and U.S. Representative Delia Ramirez will hold a press conference in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, June 30 to demand an end to the Trump administration's blockade of oil supplies entering Cuba. Union nurses will be joined by Global Health Partners, which is working to supply the island nation withcritical medical equipment and medicine, as fuel shortages enter its fourth month and the humanitarian crisis escalates.
"Nurses cannot and will not stay silent while our president's policies cause immense suffering, at home or abroad," said NNU President Jamie Brown, RN. "The Trump administration is using innocent lives, including pregnant women and infants, to force the Cuban government to concede to its completely unrealistic demands. U.S. nurses denounce these cruel tactics and demand an end to the blockade."
Who: National Nurses United press conference demanding end to Cuban blockade
What: NNU RNs; U.S. representatives Delia Ramirez, Pramila Jayapal, and Ro Khanna; Global Health Partners; Code Pink
When: Tuesday, June 30 at 11:00am ET
Where: House Triangle | U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. 20004
Without essential oil resources, as well as a sharp increase in U.S. sanctions, Cubans are suffering from frequent blackouts, shortages of gasoline and cooking gas, and dwindling supplies of diesel that power the nation's water pumps, with a particularly severe impact on the delivery of health care services. Recent reporting indicates that tens of thousands of Cubans have had to forego medical treatments, including surgeries, and that three-quarters of essential medicines are entirely unavailable on the island. Additionally, the U.N. has warned that infant mortality has doubled and that fuel shortages have negatively impacted food production, with output down by more than 60 percent, leading to a sharp increase in food costs.
To support the Cuban people, NNU nurses have donated to Global Health Partners (GHP), an organization that has brought millions of dollars worth of lifesaving medicines and surgical supplies to the island. Most recently, GHP's programs have been focused on reversing Cuba's fast-rising infant mortality rate.
National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the United States with more than 225,000 members nationwide. NNU affiliates include California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, DC Nurses Association, Michigan Nurses Association, Minnesota Nurses Association, and New York State Nurses Association.
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Original text here: https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/registered-nurses-join-us-representatives-to-call-for-end-to-blockade-of-cuba
AFT and NEA Call on Democratic Governors to Reject Trump Private School Voucher Scheme
WASHINGTON, June 23 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO American Federation of Teachers issued the following news release:
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AFT and NEA Call on Democratic Governors to Reject Trump Private School Voucher Scheme
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WASHINGTON -In an open letter sent today to the nation's Democratic governors, the presidents of the country's two largest teachers unions, the National Education Association and the AFT, urged Democratic governors to reject the Trump administration's private school voucher program, calling it a grave and urgent threat to the public schools that serve nearly 90 percent of the nation's
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, June 23 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO American Federation of Teachers issued the following news release:
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AFT and NEA Call on Democratic Governors to Reject Trump Private School Voucher Scheme
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WASHINGTON -In an open letter sent today to the nation's Democratic governors, the presidents of the country's two largest teachers unions, the National Education Association and the AFT, urged Democratic governors to reject the Trump administration's private school voucher program, calling it a grave and urgent threat to the public schools that serve nearly 90 percent of the nation'sK-12 students.
"Public education is a core value of our communities and the foundation of a thriving democracy," AFT President Randi Weingarten and NEA President Becky Pringle wrote in the letter. "Every child deserves access to a high-quality education in well-supported public schools."
"The program is a Trojan horse carrying near-universal K-12 private school vouchers into every state that participates-even states where voters have rejected vouchers at the ballot box," Pringle and Weingarten wrote.
The letter comes on the heels of another letter sent earlier this month by three dozen education unions in 23 Democratic-led states, urging their governors not to opt into the scheme.
The latest letter also warns that states choosing to opt into the voucher program do so at the expense of students. They also will likely face long-term fiscal strain as vouchers "shrink" public school enrollment, reducing per-pupil state revenue while fixed-costs remain. The scheme will force state budgets to cover the funding gaps. The unions warn of a potential $50 billion annual price tag for the program nationally, which could lead to further cuts to federal programs for the most vulnerable students, such as those supported by Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
The letter notes the voucher program is a core element of Project 2025 and points to the 2024 Democratic National Committee platform, which explicitly opposed "private-school vouchers, tuition tax credits, opportunity scholarships, and other schemes that divert taxpayer-funded resources away from public education."
"The underlying strength of America rests on the provision of education to all as a public good. We shouldn't gamble our future on promises made by an administration relentlessly dedicated to undermining that public good. Rejecting the Trump administration's voucher program helps to preserve and protect the future of public education for our students, families, and communities," wrote Weingarten and Pringle.
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Original text here: https://www.aft.org/press-release/aft-and-nea-call-democratic-governors-reject-trump-private-school-voucher-scheme
