- Newsweek covers the cascade of teacher strikes that have swept the country in recent months. Education is one of the most pressing issues in this year’s elections. Stagnant wages, and larger class sizes with fewer resources, have left teachers no option but to fight for a better environment for their students and themselves. “It really is a which-side-are-you-on moment,” says AFT President Randi Weingarten. “You see on the ground, all over America, teachers taking action and having faith these actions will actually change things. At the same time, it’s pretty clear the powers that be in this country are against unions and worker power. We are in a race.”