Under Siege: Survey of Teachers Finds 34-Point Increase in Job Dissatisfaction, Union as Solution

A national survey of nearly 2,400 AFT members reveals teacher dissatisfaction. “Under Siege: The Outlook of AFT Members” finds workload, compensation, conditions, disruptions and support as variables changing educators’ work lives for the worse. In the wake of the pandemic, deadly school shootings, and new laws meant to limit discussion of accurate history and current racial and LGBTQIA+ issues, teachers are leaving the profession in droves. Despite their despair, AFT members see their union as a ray of hope. “Our members see their union as the vehicle to fix the problems, enact the solutions, and definitively, defiantly and undeniably stand for hope, aspiration and a better country for all,” says AFT President Randi Weingarten.