American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten told members Tuesday that the unions leadership would support potential teacher safety strikes amid calls to reopen schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The unions executive council approved a resolution last week backing such action as a last resort and on a case-by-case basis, Weingarten revealed in a speech during the unions annual convention, held online this year.

If authorities dont protect the safety and health of those we represent and those we serve, as our executive council voted last week, nothing is off the table, Weingarten said.

The AFT represents around 1.7 million members, including mostly teachers and school employees, but also nurses and other health care professionals. In June, 76% of polled members said they were comfortable returning to school given adequate safeguards. But a month later, after President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos pressured schools to reopen at all costs, even without assurances of federal funds to help implement COVID-19 safeguards, teachers are afraid and angry, said Weingarten. At the same time, the virus has continued to surge in multiple states.