As the Democratic Party grapples with post-election fallout, two top labor union presidents—Randi Weingarten of the American Federation of Teachers and Lee Saunders of AFSCME—abruptly resigned from the Democratic National Committee (DNC), citing frustration over what they view as the party's failure to fully embrace working-class voters, according to a report by The Guardian.
Weingarten, who led the 1.8-million-member AFT, stepped down after being omitted from reappointment to the DNC’s influential rules committee. In her resignation, she warned that education, healthcare, and public service workers were in “an existential battle” and added she would no longer “keep questioning why we are not enlarging our tent.”
Saunders, leading the 1.3-million-member AFSCME, echoed her sentiments: “These are new times. They deserve new strategies. We must evolve to meet the urgency of the moment. This is not a time to close ranks or turn inward … It is our responsibility to open the gates [and] welcome others.”
Ken Martin, the newly elected DNC chair and a self-described “pro‑labor progressive,” defended the party’s direction. He said his leadership has produced 130 town halls and an “aggressive war room” targeting former President Donald Trump. “My first action as DNC chair was pledging to have strong labor voices at the table,” Martin told The Guardian. “Winning back the working class and stopping Trump from harming families is exactly where our focus is.”
Still, political analyst Steve Rosenthal warned that these resignations “are an inarguable blow,” noting the party is already under intense pressure to win back blue-collar voters.
Responding to Weingarten’s critique of the party’s response to the Trump-backed GOP budget bill, she argued, “We can be the voice and be out there with stories about how the budget bill will hurt, and the DNC is a perfect place for doing that.” She stressed urgency: “You got to win hearts and minds now, not in October 2026.”
In response, DNC vice-chair and union activist Artie Blanco emphasized the ongoing grassroots effort: “There are over 16,000 Democratic volunteers making phone calls across the country … about the GOP budget, and how it will be devastating to working people.”
Jane Kleeb, head of the Association of State Democratic Committees, defended Martin, noting he has “appointed more union leaders than any other [DNC] chair” and placed labor at the forefront of party initiatives.
Meanwhile, Stuart Appelbaum, DNC labor chair, praised Martin’s labor inclusion: “I am thrilled that Ken Martin is prioritizing … labor at the table and has ensured that there is strong labor representation in every part of the DNC.”
Despite assertions from some labor leaders that Martin needs to more effectively engage union chiefs, Martin remains firm. “The DNC and our partners are leading the fight against Trump’s budget bill, investing unprecedented dollars into states so Democrats can win elections from the ground up,” he said. “Winning back the working class … isn’t a political goal, it’s personal. Labor runs through my family’s veins.”
These leadership departures underscore growing unrest among labor allies as Democrats strategize over rebuilding trust with the working-class voters they lost in the last election.
