President Stands Firm as NEASO Strike Impacts NEA Convention

U.S. President Joe Biden
U.S. President Joe Biden. Credit | Getty images

United States – National Education Association Staff Organizations (NEASO) declared going on a strike on Friday, which made Biden cancel his speech to the NEA convention.

Labor Dispute at NEA Headquarters

They said that they were on an unfair labor practice (ULP) strike against the NEA headquarters in Washington, DC, and NEASO filed two ULP grievances with the National Labor Relations Board, as reported by The Hills.

The group has accused the nation’s largest teachers’ union of not bargaining over unilateral changes – wage theft and not providing information about outsourcing $50 million to contractors.

“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,” said NEASO President Robin McLean.

“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,” McLean added.

The strike will last for two days at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, which is situated in Philadelphia.

This prompted Biden’s reelection campaign to put out a statement that he would no longer be speaking to the NEA on the Sunday.

President Biden’s Response

“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 campaign said in a statement, as reported by The Hills.

Biden has often said he is the most pro-labor President in U.S. history. In September, he became the first sitting commander-in-chief to participate in a picket line, walking with union auto workers in Belleville, Mich.