Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is gaining support among union leaders, including teachers unions, despite his past support for school vouchers. Over 50 local labor leaders, including two of Pennsylvania's largest teachers' unions, have endorsed Shapiro. While these unions opposed Shapiro's stance on school vouchers, they appreciate his efforts to increase education funding.
American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten, a vocal opponent of school choice, has not publicly commented on the veepstakes but maintains a personal friendship with Shapiro. Weingarten expects the debate over school vouchers to remain a state issue, as the DNC education platform opposes school choice.
Shapiro, who endorsed school vouchers during his 2022 campaign, recently abandoned the initiative amid a budget impasse with the state legislature. The proposed vouchers would have provided publicly funded scholarships for students in low-performing public schools to attend private schools of their choice.
On the other hand, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly faced criticism for not initially supporting the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act. However, following the backlash, Kelly announced his intention to vote in favor of the legislation, which aims to make it easier for workers to form and join unions.
John Samuelsen, president of the Transport Workers Union, questioned why a senator who does not support the PRO Act would be considered for the vice presidency. Former AFL-CIO organizing director Richard Bensinger emphasized the importance of the right to organize unions and criticized Kelly for initially withholding his support for the act.
In response to the criticism, Kelly clarified in interviews that he has always been supportive of the PRO Act and plans to vote in favor of it. The ongoing discussions surrounding union support and legislative priorities highlight the complexities of political alliances and policy positions within the Democratic Party.
