President Joe Biden reportedly canceled an agreed-upon convention speech to the nation's largest teachers' union after its own staff union announced it was going on strike.
The National Education Association Staff Organizations said it was on an "unfair labor practice" strike against the National Education Association's headquarters in Washington, D.C. — and filed two complaints with the National Labor Relations Board.
The group alleges the country's largest teachers' union has not bargained over unilateral changes, accusing it of wage theft and failing to provide information about outsourcing $50 million to contractors.
"The National Education Association has threatened to host its convention virtually to avoid a physical picket line," NEASO president Robin McLean told The Hill.
"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," McLean stated.
The NEA and its staff union met Thursday night, and the NEA said it has offered to increase the average salary for employees from $124,004 to $133,218, The Hill reported.
The strike will last for two days at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.
"It is deeply concerning that misinformation has been shared related to our contract negotiations," a spokesperson for the NEA told The Hill. "This not only misrepresents the facts but also undermines the integrity of our ongoing efforts to honor a fair bargaining process."
Amid the uncertainty, Biden's reelection campaign announced he would no longer be addressing the NEA on Sunday.
"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, The Hill reported.
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