Union accounting shows just 36% of its spending was on representing teachers in 2025, while it spent more than $41 million on politics.
The American Federation of Teachers is not in the business of representing teachers, judging from how it spends their money.
Each year the union, which represents more than 1.8 million teachers nationwide, must file a report with the U.S. Department of Labor. Its fiscal year 2025 report reveals trends that should concern its members:
- Just 36% of AFT’s spending was on representing teachers.
- AFT spent more than $41 million on politics.
- Nearly three-fourths of AFT staffers make six-figure incomes.
- AFT spent nearly $4.7 million on travel, food and furniture for unspecified purposes.
AFT’s own records show its priority is not representing teachers, but politics and other union boss objectives. That should concern the approximately 88,000 education employees in Illinois who are members of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, AFT’s state affiliate.
Just 36% of AFT’s spending was on representing teachers
AFT spent more than $278 million in 2025. Yet only $99 million was on “representational activities” – what is supposed to be the core purpose of the union. The rest was spent on administration, politics and other union leadership priorities.
To put this in perspective, the Better Business Bureau states at least 65% of a nonprofit’s total expenses should be on program activities.
While the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance evaluates spending by charities, it stands to reason AFT’s spending of just 36% on representation should be a cause for concern among members.
AFT spent more than $41 million on politics
AFT President Randi Weingarten has politicized the union, and that shows up in the way AFT spends money on politics.
The union reported spending more than $41 million on “political activities and lobbying” in 2024. The largest recipient was the New York State United Teachers “Advocacy Fund,” which supports “candidates who share our values.” It received $5.6 million.
In other words, once teachers’ paychecks are docked money for dues, it flows up to the state and national affiliates to be used in any way union bosses want. That includes being sent to political action committees to support political candidates in other states.
The union also funneled millions of dollars to self-proclaimed “progressive” entities, including the following:
- $1.5 million to For Our Future Action Fund, which bills itself as “committed to serving progressive values.”
- $500,000 to A Better Wisconsin Together Political Fund, the aim of which is to “embolden the progressive movement throughout Wisconsin.”
- $150,000 to MoveOn.org Political Action, which is “focused on running powerful progressive advocacy campaigns.”
- $100,000 to Priorities USA Action, which builds “training and tools to grow our collective, progressive power.”
- $75,000 to America Votes, which claims it is “the coordination hub of the progressive community.”
- $70,000 to Democracy Alliance, which claims to be “the country’s preeminent network of individual political philanthropists, labor unions and foundations” that come together to “advance progressive policy reforms.”
Regardless of teachers’ political leanings, their union money is being directed to political action all over the country rather than to their bargaining and representational needs.
Neary three-fourths of AFT staffers make six-figure incomes
While AFT’s members may not be seeing the benefit of spending hundreds of dollars on union dues each year, its own officers and employees certainly benefit from those dues.
At least 278 of AFT’s own employees make over $100,000. More than 80 make over $200,000, with Weingarten pulling in $514,488.
In total, AFT spent more than $54 million on its own officer and employee salaries. The average teacher salary in Illinois is less than $79,000, yet their money is funding AFT’s generous staff salaries.
AFT spent nearly $4.7 million on travel, food and furniture for unspecified purposes
AFT spent millions on airlines and hotels. Some of the spending was itemized, listed as being a “conference expense” or “meeting expense.”
But nearly $4.7 million was not itemized or was itemized so vaguely that a union member would have no idea why the union spent the money. That included disbursements for catering and restaurants, furniture, hotels and conference centers and other travel expenses.
For example, AFT spent at least $2.57 million on airlines for unclear purposes. That included international airlines such as Swiss International Air, Societe Air France and Deutsche Lufthansa. The expenses were listed as “non-itemized” or merely “transportation expense,” meaning members have no way to evaluate whether the travel was truly in their best interests.
The union also spent nearly $800,000 on hotels and conference centers, all for “non-itemized” purposes.
Again, that means members have no idea why that money was spent.
A teachers union is supposed to represent teachers. But as AFT’s own records show, putting educators first is not a union priority.
