The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) has launched a nationwide get-out-the-vote bus tour in support of election candidates standing for lower costs, affordable healthcare, and public schools investments.
As part of the “#AFTvotes—What Kids and Communities Need” tour, union members will rally at community events, such as book giveaways, roundtables, canvassing, and door knocking. The tour will last 20 days, visiting at least 10 states and 25 cities through Election Day, Nov. 8.
The tour will go west to east, ending in New York City.
“This November, so much is on the ballot: our democracy and our freedoms, public education, healthcare, Medicare and Social Security, safety from gun violence, and economic security,” said Randi Weingartern, president of AFT. “Who is going to help solve this, and who will make it worse?
“This is an election of contrasts. Who is fighting for democracy? Who is tackling the concerns that keep people up at night? On the other hand, who prefers to stoke resentment, anger and fear—rather than find solutions to our biggest problems?”
The union said it is opposed to book-banning, censoring of history, and cutting Medicare and Social Security.