The AFT is the leading voice for the early childhood education workforce.  No union has a stronger track record than the AFT in defending the rights of all educators, from those who work with infants, toddlers, preKindergarten and K-12 students to those who work in higher education and adult continuing education.

We understand the essential contributions that early childhood professionals make to our society. Early childhood educators set the stage for a lifetime of learning. As advocates for these educators, we recognize the critical link between the quality of early learning experiences for young children and the job quality of those responsible for their care and education.

For growing numbers of early childhood educators, AFT is the perfect home. We are the only union that gives voice to the professional, economic and social aspirations of our members and their families.

Together we are making a difference for the early childhood education workforce!

Forming a union
Early childhood educators, like all working people, have the right to union representation.  AFT is a union of professionals helping to improve the salaries and work lives of its members so that they can better care for and educate America's children.  For more information on forming a union with your co-workers at your job site, email organize@aftct.org.

Getting support as a professional
AFT's First Class Teachers is an organization of professionals dedicated to providing services and support to individual educators who may not belong to other professional organizations. We are focused exclusively on early childhood education workforce issues and your professional development. If you are a teacher, assistant, aide or hold any position in which you work directly with infants, toddlers or pre-K children on a day-to-day basis, we welcome you.

In First Class Teachers, you will find like-minded colleagues to fight for better wages, benefits, professional development opportunities and working conditions for the early childhood workforce.  You will also find resources and materials to support your day-to-day work with young children as well as information and benefits—such as access to the AFT PLUS discount consumer benefits program—to improve your personal well-being.  Click here to learn more.

Center for the Child Care Workforce
AFT's Center for the Child Care Workforce is a news, research and information source that will keep you up to date on policy matters in early childhood education. CCW tracks what's happening in legislation and research, including:

• what researchers are discovering about children's early learning;
• what comparative salary studies can tell us about our low wages;
• what Congress is proposing for Head Start programs and other early childhood education initiatives; 
• what legislators in state capitals are considering for early childhood educators, and much more.

Join the e-mail network and receive a free monthly newsletter, and access to resources and materials focused on the early childhood workforce.  Send an e-mail to ccw@aft.org or click here to visit the Web site.