Biden cancels speech at union convention in Philadelphia after union workers go on strike

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania – President Joe Biden has canceled a planned speech at the National Education Association’s annual conference in Philadelphia after union employees announced a strike and set up picket lines Friday.

Biden had planned to speak on Sunday, but his campaign said the president was a “fervent supporter of unions and would not cross picket lines.” The picket ended the week-long convention and the final three days of programming were canceled, the NEA said.

The NEA, which includes school employee unions in every state, supports Biden.

Biden, who is fighting for his endangered re-election, still plans to travel to Pennsylvania this weekend, according to his campaign team.

The NEA’s union, the National Education Association Staff Organization, set up picket lines around the Pennsylvania Convention Center in downtown Philadelphia on Friday, planning a three-day strike at the event.

The NEA union said it had filed two unfair labor practice complaints because it believed the NEA was failing to meet basic union requirements.

It accuses the NEA of unilaterally eliminating overtime pay for holidays and failing to provide information about the outsourcing of contracts worth $50 million, it said.

In a statement, the NEA said it remained fully committed to a fair negotiation process. It also said it was “deeply disturbing that misinformation has been spread” that misrepresents the contract negotiations.