NEWS RELEASE
March 28, 2016 For immediate release
Contact:
Karen Strickland, President, 206-326-0685
Sylvia Watson, 206-261-3603
Education Employee Union Endorses State Senator Jayapal for Congress
The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Washington is pleased to endorse State Senator Pramila Jayapal for the 7th Congressional District race.
“Senator Jayapal is an unwavering and effective leader who advocates for public education, for workers’ rights, including the right to organize, and for human rights,” said Karen Strickland, president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) in Washington State.
Jayapal supports public education at all levels and wants to ensure the success of students through adequate funding, ongoing training and support, smaller class sizes, more paraeducators, and better working conditions — issues of importance to the members of AFT Washington.
During this past legislative session, she was the prime sponsor of the Washington Promise Bill, which provides free community college for all rather than shackle students with debt for the rest of their lives.
As the founder of OneAmerica, Jayapal has a long record of championing for immigrant rights, social justice, and racial equity through her work on national immigration reform and voting rights at the state and federal level.
"I am honored to be endorsed by AFT Washington and look forward to working with them to help support our faculty, teachers, school-support employees, and students and families in Congress," said Sen. Jayapal. "We need to invest in our children and ensure that they have broader access to quality public education and programs both inside and outside the classroom," Sen. Jayapal remarked.
AFT Washington is affiliated with the 1.6 million members of AFT and represents 6,500 education employees including child care staff, Head Start, K-12 school support and paraeducators; and faculty, classified, and professional staff in 19 community and technical colleges in Washington State. Professors in the state’s four-year regional universities are co-represented with the WEA.
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