AFT Pennsylvania | AFT Stateweb

A Message From The President of AFTPA

Click here to read a welcome message from AFTPA President Wendy G. Coleman about the critical work of our union and her vision for our future.

The newly-elected 2025-2027 Executive Council is photographed, with five people seated in the front and the rest standing behind them. They are in front of a beige wall with a tan carpet featuring a circular design with lighter tan and dark brown colors.

Meet the 2025-2027 AFT Pennsylvania Executive Council

On Sunday, July 13, 2025, leadership elections for AFT Pennsylvania were completed as part of the federation’s constitutionally required biennial reorganization. The senior leadership of President Wendy G. Coleman, Executive Vice President Billy Hileman, and Treasurer Erik Fleming were elected at their convention in Philadelphia, along with a diverse Executive Council slate comprising AFT Pennsylvania locals from across the Commonwealth.

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AFT Pennsylvania, Scranton Federation Of Teachers Statement On Trump’s First 2020 Town Hall

Harrisburg, PA, Thursday, March 5, 2020— AFT Pennsylvania, along with the Scranton Federation of Teachers, on Thursday, issued the following statement regarding President Trump’s Fox News town hall taking place in Scranton Thursday evening:

“President Trump’s broken promises to Pennsylvania’s working families are too numerous to list,” said Arthur Steinberg, President of AFT PA. “But the most egregious examples of the Trump Administration’s failure are public education and infrastructure. By appointing, and keeping Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education, Donald Trump has already shown great

AFT PENNSYLVANIA, NESHAMINY FEDERATION OF TEACHERS ENDORSE HOWIE HAYES FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE IN MARCH 17 SPECIAL ELECTION

Harrisburg, PA, Thursday, February 27, 2020— AFT Pennsylvania, on Thursday, issued the following statement following an Executive Council vote to endorse Harold “Howie” Hayes for State Representative in the 18^th District special election on March 17^th:

On behalf of the 36,000 members across 61 locals in Pennsylvania, I am thrilled to endorse Howie Hayes for state representative,” said Arthur Steinberg, President of AFT PA. “We are especially proud to show labor solidarity by supporting a member of Plumbers Local Union 690.”

Steinberg continued, “With the upcoming special election, we have the

Randi Weingarten and NYC teacher Tamara Simpson

In defense of public education

Attacks on public education in America by extremists and culture-war peddling politicians have reached new heights (“lows” may be more apt), but they are not new. The difference today is that the attacks are intended not just to undermine public education but to destroy it.

Statement on Governor Wolf’s Announcement of Charter School Reforms

Plymouth Meeting, PA, Tuesday, August 13, 2019 – Arthur Steinberg, President of AFT Pennsylvania, issued the following statement on behalf of the more than 36,000 members of the Commonwealth’s statewide affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers on Tuesday:

“We are very encouraged by Governor Wolf’s announcement today that he will back legislation to address commonsense charter school reforms in Pennsylvania, including transparency requirements, a cap on cyber charter enrollment and a moratorium on new cyber charter schools.

“If these reforms come to fruition, they will be a monumental win

Gov. Wolf announces millions in funding to fix environmental hazards in Philly schools

"Standing in the library of an Overbrook elementary school, Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday announced the state would spend $4.3 million to help remove lead paint from Philadelphia public schools.

Including the millions the state paid last year to complete such projects, that means Pennsylvania has allocated almost $12 million to fixing environmental hazards in the Philadelphia School District.

“No parent should have to worry about the health risk of sending their child to school, and no student should be at risk from lead paint,” said Wolf, who was flanked by city and state lawmakers.

The governor

Bill raising teachers' salaries stalled

A push to raise the state's minimum teacher salary has become a bipartisan effort, but it appears to not be enough to ensure a key piece of Gov. Tom Wolf's budget proposal will make it into the final version of the spending document.