President Joe Biden won’t cross a picket line and had to cancel a speech planned in Philadelphia.
Biden was set to speak on Sunday at the annual conference of the National Education Association but canceled the speech after the union announced a strike. The NEA has endorsed Biden’s presidential re-election.
The Biden campaign said the president is a “fierce supporter” of unions.
“President Biden is a fierce supporter of unions and he won’t cross a picket line. The President is still planning to travel to Pennsylvania this weekend, and we will have more details to share at a later point,” the Biden campaign said in a statement.
The last three days of the conference were canceled as picket lines were set up on Friday.
“The National Education Association has threatened to host its convention virtually to avoid a physical picket line. For a union to trick its members into crossing a picket line is reprehensible. It also confirms what we have been saying: NEA has abandoned its union values with its actions at the bargaining table,” NEASO President Robin McLean said.
“NEA would rather cancel a multi-million-dollar convention than comply with labor law. NEA members should question where their hard-earned dues dollars are being used — and wasted,” he added.
Biden’s campaign said the president would still be traveling to Pennsylvania over the weekend.
“The NEA’s union, the National Education Association Staff Organization, set up picket lines Friday around the Pennsylvania Convention Center in downtown Philadelphia and had a three-day strike planned at the event,” the Associated Press reported.
“The NEA’s union said it has filed two unfair labor practice complains over what it says are the NEA’s failure to comply with basic union requirements,” the AP noted. “It is accusing the NEA of unilaterally removing holiday overtime pay and failing to provide information on outsourcing $50 million in contracts, it said.”
“It is deeply concerning that misinformation has been shared related to our contract negotiations. This not only misrepresents the facts but also undermines the integrity of our ongoing efforts to honor a fair bargaining process,” a spokesperson for the NEA said.
“We have crafted in good faith a proposal for our NEASO staff to address their expressed interests while ensuring the longer-term health of our organization and the needs of our members. We will respect our staff’s picket lines. In the end, we are confident there will be an agreement that ensures we continue to serve our mission and support our members,” the spokesperson added.
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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