Union Leaders’ Departure From the DNC Reveals “Astonishing” Internal Conflicts Within the Democratic Party.

Lee Saunders and Randi Weingarten claim the party is failing to defend working people during an “existential battle” under Trump’s leadership.

As the Democratic Party struggles to recover from a severe election loss, the sudden departure of the leaders of two of the country’s largest labor unions from its top leadership has revealed deepening tensions about the party’s future direction.

Randi Weingarten and Lee Saunders left the Democratic National Committee, arguing that the party is not doing enough to “open the gates” and regain working-class voters’ support. In response, Ken Martin, the new DNC chair, and his team told the Guardian that their focus is precisely on achieving that goal.

Weingarten, who leads the 1.8 million-member American Federation of Teachers, stepped down after Martin chose not to reappoint her to the DNC’s influential rules committee. In her resignation letter, she highlighted that workers in education, healthcare, and public service face “an existential battle” due to Donald Trump’s attacks and said she didn’t want to be the person constantly questioning why the party isn’t expanding its coalition.

Saunders, the long-serving president of the 1.3 million-member American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, also released a critical statement. He emphasized, “These are new times. They require new strategies,” adding, “We must adapt to the urgency of the moment. Now is not the time to close ranks or turn inward … Our duty is to open the gates and welcome others.”

Lee Saunders, president of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, earlier this month.

Several Democratic National Committee (DNC) officials dismissed the resignations of union leaders Randi Weingarten and Lee Saunders as a “tempest in a teapot,” suggesting their departure was partly due to frustration that their preferred DNC chair candidate, Ben Winkler, lost to Ken Martin. The officials insisted Martin is actively working to broaden the party’s appeal and challenge Trump.

Steve Rosenthal, former AFL-CIO political director, called the resignations a serious setback for the DNC, highlighting that losing such longstanding leaders damages efforts to reconnect with working-class voters.

Weingarten criticized the DNC for not mobilizing aggressively against the Trump/GOP budget bill, which threatens to cut health insurance for millions, reduce food stamps, and increase the federal debt by trillions. She argued the DNC should urgently help Democrats oppose the bill instead of focusing only on long-term election strategies.

In response, DNC Chair Ken Martin said his leadership has prioritized labor and working-class issues. He noted that since taking the role nearly five months ago, the DNC has hosted 130 town halls and created a war room to confront Trump’s agenda. Martin emphasized that winning back working-class voters and stopping harmful policies is the committee’s central focus.

While Martin and some DNC officials claimed Weingarten and Saunders might be out of touch with current party efforts across the states, Weingarten insisted the urgency is lacking, especially in fighting the GOP budget proposal.

Union activist and DNC vice-chair Artie Blanco pointed out that thousands of volunteers are already campaigning nationally against the budget bill’s effects on working people.

Weingarten expressed disappointment over not being renominated to the DNC rules committee, feeling her input was no longer valued. Nonetheless, she affirmed her union’s ongoing commitment to elect pro-public education and pro-worker candidates in future elections.

Other party figures, like Jane Kleeb and Stuart Appelbaum, defended Martin’s record, saying he has actively brought unions back into the party and ensured strong labor representation.

Political strategist Michael Podhorzer acknowledged Democrats’ long struggle to win back blue-collar voters, many of whom feel abandoned due to past trade deals and economic shifts dating back to the Clinton era.

Sociologist Arlie Russell Hochschild noted that declining union influence has weakened labor’s sway within the Democratic Party over decades.

Rosenthal urged Democrats to collaborate more closely with unions, as working-class voters trust labor movements more than political parties. He described the internal DNC conflict as “mind-boggling” given the importance of labor support.

Several labor leaders argued that Martin should have worked harder to keep influential union figures like Weingarten and Saunders engaged, even if they supported his opponent.

Martin responded by emphasizing the DNC’s active fight against Trump’s budget bill and investment in grassroots organizing. He said strengthening ties with labor and winning back working-class voters is not just political—it’s personal, reflecting his family’s union roots.