When the president of Colorado WINS learned that the president of the United States might be targeting Denver next in his anti-immigration campaign of terror, she knew how she’d begin to mobilize. One simple thing Diane Byrne does is deck out her activists in matching T-shirts. Wearing union colors promotes team spirit and builds confidence, she says. The AFT Public Employees program and policy council, meeting in New York City Feb. 5-6, abounded with tips to help locals mobilize. PPC chair Gary Feist, president of North Dakota Public Employees, recommended finding members who can tell a personal story to draw media attention. With more media on the issue, he said, legislators will become more motivated to fix the problem.

Today, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro delivered his Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget speech. The Governor is proposing a $53.2 billion budget, which is a 5.38% increase over FY 25-26, and includes:

• A $565 million increase for K-12 adequacy funding;
• A $50 million increase for Basic Education Funding;
• A $50 million increase for Special Education Funding;
• A continuation of Cyber Charter Funding reforms, which saves public school districts an estimated $250 million per year;
• An increase of $100 million for school safety and mental health;
• $125 million to address school structural upgrades and environmental concerns, including $25 million for Solar for Schools;
• A $5 million increase for student teacher stipends;
• A $5.9 million increase for the Pennsylvania State Grant Program run through PHEAA;
• An $18 million increase for Career and Technical Education (CTE) apprenticeships;
• Fully funding CTE subsidies;
• Raising the Pennsylvania minimum wage to $15/hour starting January 1, 2027; and
• Expanding digital and AI literacy for students, parents, and caregivers.

The Pennsylvania legislature is expected to pass the budget by June 30, 2026. The state legislature passed the 2025 budget more than 130 days late.

Federal immigration actions are rapidly expanding, with deadly consequences. The killings of poet Renee Nicole Good and nurse Alex Pretti by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minneapolis have brought intense focus on the use of excessive force. An AFT webinar, co-hosted by AFT President Randi Weingarten and AFT Massachusetts President Jessica Tang on Jan. 28, featured experts on immigration and the law. It highlighted AFT resources and showcased how our locals are showing up to minimize fear and trauma.

PHILADELPHIA – This afternoon, 87 percent of educators and staff from the Esperanza Academy Charter High School in Philadelphia voted to affiliate with AFT Pennsylvania and the Alliance of Charter School Employees (ACSE) #6056. The Esperanza High School Collective, which now represents nearly 80 educators and staff at the school, is the tenth unionized charter school within AFTPA.

ALLENTOWN, PA – Earlier today, AFT Pennsylvania, AFT, the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA), the Allentown School District, Rep. Peter G. Schweyer (D-134), Rep. Michael H. Schlossberg (D-132), Rep. Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz (D-129), and leaders from the Allentown Federation of Paraprofessionals #1716 toured the Sonia Sotomayor Dual Language Immersion Academy as a part of a new AFTPA initiative with locals across the Commonwealth.  

PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA – Today, the AFT Pennsylvania Executive Council announced that they voted to endorse Governor Josh Shapiro and Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis for reelection. Governor Shapiro and Lieutenant Governor Davis formally launched their reelection campaign at events in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia today.