WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden will no longer speak at the meeting of the largest U.S. teachers union on Sunday, the White House said after union staff announced a strike.
The National Education Association Employees Union said it would go on strike on Friday, urging its supporters to join them in picketing outside the NEA convention in Philadelphia over the weekend.
“President Biden is a staunch supporter of unions and will not cross a picket line. The president still plans to travel to Pennsylvania this weekend and we will have more details to share at a later date,” the campaign said.
The union said it filed two unfair labor practices complaints with the National Labor Relations Board this week, involving failure to pay overtime and unanswered requests for information.
The NEA did not immediately return a request for comment.
Biden will still travel to Pennsylvania this weekend, with details to be released later, the campaign said.
The National Education Association, with 3 million members, supported the Democratic president in his 2020 and 2024 presidential campaigns.
(Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Nandita Bose; Editing by Josie Kao)