December 2025
From the President
The end of the year is a natural time to reflect on the work that we’ve done and celebrate what we have accomplished. Together we faced what can only be described as unprecedented and unthinkable attacks on our institutions and our communities. But we faced these challenges together, taking strength from the fact that we were united in standing up for what we know is right.
The incredible outpouring of solidarity, strength, and yes, even joy, were visible at the No Kings Day's, Labor Day, and other resistance events in our state and across the nation. It seems like every time we gathered, we gained strength in numbers and in our commitments to each other. I was at two landmark events heralded as being the “largest ever.” And I am looking forward to adding more knots in my proverbial union belt! I’m starting with the Regional Leader meeting in January, where we will have the largest number of AFT Washington participants in memory. Coming together and refusing to give in to fear of the promised attacks on our unions and our communities are crucial ways we reinforce our power.
And there are other ways we flexed our collective power – through organizing. 200 employees at existing locals signed their union cards! Our two new locals, the professional-exempt staff at Whatcom Community College and the Renton Athletic Coaches, both signed their first contracts. And in breaking news, we are so excited for the Professional Staff at Highline Community College, who filed a petition for representation with AFT Washington last month! Looks like the word is out that the union is the place to be.
On a personal note, I want to share that working with our members and community partners continues to be an inspiration. Our Head Start local at ESD 113 in Thurston and Lewis counties was under threat from losing federal funding due to the draconian policies of the federal government, but they didn’t lose hope, reached out, stayed strong despite the precarity of the moment, and got their funding restored. Our Retiree Chapter continues to lead the fight for recognition of health care as a human right, and several of our local leaders are getting involved with the movement for ethical investments of our public retirement funds. These are just some examples of the ways AFT Washington members have been rising to the challenges of 2025.
We know there are more challenges ahead, and I would be remiss if I didn’t call out the budget fight we face in Olympia starting next month. Without dedicated opposition, we risk seeing higher education funding turn into a slush fund for other programs. We are making a plan to stand up for our public education system from cradle to college and the funding we rely on, and I hope, as you read this, you are seeing yourself as part of that plan too. If you’d like to learn more about what that could entail, please reach out to Richard Burton at rburton@aftwa.org.
Another place where we must stay engaged is the midterm elections slated for next November! Part of the work we’ll be doing at the Regional Meeting in January is to develop strategies at the state and local levels, to push back on the administration's attack on academic freedom and attempts to punish the blue states. Again, I am inspired by how many of you are coming to learn more and be part of the movement, and you are not alone. We’ll be working closely with the other AFT affiliate in Washington, the Washington State Nurses Association. For the first time, we will be planning rallies and mobilization actions together!
Reflecting on these wins and upcoming opportunities is natural at this time of year. What might be less natural – or seem to be so, anyway – is that in my reflections I’ve found joy and I’ve found hope. It has been a hard year, and it’s not over yet. But it has not been a victory romp for the people who want to see us defeated, the union destroyed, public education debased, and our communities in shambles. It has been a year filled with the signs of hope.
Hope is a choice, but it is also an action, and I am hopeful. I have seen what we have done, and I know what we can do, and I am looking forward to working together to win these fights in 2026. I wish you peace, relaxation, and the same joy in your own reflections on the year.
In solidarity,
Jacqui Cain, President