Interns unionize at major teachers union

A union for union employees? It might seem odd, but interns with the American Federation of Teachers formed a union Wednesday, making them the first non-medical intern union in the nation.

In a press release, AFT President Randi Weingarten congratulated the interns. “We respect the decision of the American Federation of Teachers interns to form and vote for a union — the first intern (nonmedical) union in the nation. As an employer that pays interns a wage, and as a union that believes in workers’ right to organize, we know that people are more likely to succeed when they have a real voice on the job. Our interns have been invaluable, and we look forward to an ongoing, productive relationship with them and their union.”