QDo teacher unions support CPUSA?
AHello, and thanks for an interesting question!
Teacher unions, like other unions, generally go through a process of discussion among the members before they endorse political candidates. They don't, as a rule, endorse political parties; they frequently do endorse particular candidates.
The union to which I belonged when I was teaching was the American Federation of Teachers. I am now retired, but I know that the AFT went through a rigorous process over the past year or so deciding who to endorse for President of the US in 2020.
Teacher unions, like other unions, generally go through a process of discussion among the members before they endorse political candidates. They don't, as a rule, endorse political parties; they frequently do endorse particular candidates.
The union to which I belonged when I was teaching was the American Federation of Teachers. I am now retired, but I know that the AFT went through a rigorous process over the past year or so deciding who to endorse for President of the US in 2020.
So the quick answer is: no, the teacher unions (neither the AFT nor the National Educators Association, or NEA) do not support political parties, the CPUSA or any other party, as far as I know. Some member locals of those unions—the Chicago Teachers Union, for example—are involved in labor-community coalitions that include electoral work on specific campaigns rather than parties. Union members, of course, can be active as individuals in whatever political party they choose, as voters, members, and candidates.
It might be worth saying that the CPUSA has a long record of supporting public education. Many Communists have been dedicated and highly regarded public school teachers. The Party has been especially concerned with fighting for adequate and equitable funding for public schools in all communities across our country, a struggle that continues and has in fact been highlighted and intensified by the current pandemic.
The same might be said of our relation to the labor movement as a whole. We don’t generally ask whether unions support us. Our focus is on how we can help the working class develop the unity and organization needed to fight for its own interests. Unions are a major part of that struggle.
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