Teachers Unions

Criticisms

May be too focused on protecting teachers' interests, potentially at the expense of broader educational reforms or student outcomes

Primary Role

Advocate for educators' rights, working conditions, and professional development; influence education policy and reform

Current Focus

Increasingly involved in discussions surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) in education

Key Activities

Collective bargaining, securing improvements (smaller class sizes, better benefits, job security), advocating for public education funding and resources, promoting equity and inclusion

Historical Origin

Grew out of the labor movement of the 1930s

Major Organizations

National Education Association (NEA), American Federation of Teachers (AFT)

Political Influence

Powerful political forces in education, influencing legislation and elections, often blocking reforms deemed detrimental to their interests

Legitimization Period

1960s, when they won the right for collective bargaining

Concerns Raised by AI Partnerships

Potential job displacement, data privacy, and the influence of tech companies on education

Impact on Student Outcomes (Research)

Mixed results, with some studies suggesting insignificant or modestly negative effects

Number of Employees Represented (NEA & AFT)

Approximately 5 million employees

1856

1913

1916

1920s

1930s

1935

1960s

1983

Here is a guide to help you understand the history and importance of teacher’s unions.

Blog

The new training academy in Manhattan will be geared toward training educators in an effort to harness AI technology in the classroom.

Tech companies are giving AFT $23 million to train educators in AI tools, but will it help students learn?

Modern teachers' unions grew out of the labor movement of the 1930s, but were not legitimized until the 1960s when they expanded dramatically and won the right for their members to bargain collectively in many states. The two major teachers' unions are the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). Early in their histories, the unions' emphasis was on improving compensation and working conditions for their members, but they have transitioned to become [...] Teacher's unions, particularly in the United States, have evolved significantly since their inception, tracing their roots back to the labor movement of the 1930s. While the National Education Association (NEA) was founded in 1856, modern teachers' unions gained legitimacy in the 1960s, primarily focusing on collective bargaining for better pay and working conditions. The two major unions, the NEA and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), have since transitioned to become powerful [...] Although teachers' unions were modeled on the industrial American labor unions and their reason for being was to improve work conditions and compensation, the difference between them has always been professional identity. Labor unions began as grassroots movements to ensure rights and improve working conditions for uneducated, and in most cases, unskilled workers. Teachers, of course, have academic training and degrees and, as a consequence, involvement of professional teachers in a union still

The two main teachers unions, the American Federation of Teachers and National Education Association, are among the biggest labor organizations in the United States. Together, they represent about 5 million employees, officials from the two organizations told Journalist’s Resource. [...] While many educators credit their unions for helping them secure higher salaries and better working conditions, union critics accuse these organizations of hurting students by shielding low-performing and problematic teachers from disciplinary action or dismissal. At the national and state levels, teachers unions have become a powerful force, influencing both legislation and elections. [...] In addition to national teacher unions, there are state-level affiliates — for example, the California Teachers Association and Florida Education Association. Some organizations represent specific educator occupations such as the National Science Teachers Association and National Association of Special Education Teachers.

controversy and criticism Then, in 1983, A Nation at Risk leveled a broad critique on public education and a thinly veiled shot at teachers unions Union critics expressed concern that: • Teachers unions were “rent-seeking” organizations, which persistently lobbied the government for special privileges • Teachers unions exerted too much political influence over the public officials they lobbied and with whom they negotiated contracts • Teacher strikes harmed children, who lost instructional time [...] after the first passage of a collective bargaining law for public employees, the NEA adopted union activities and the right to strike, and spun administrators out of the organization 19 Teachers unions were key activists during the civil rights movement American Federation of Teachers National Education Association 1920s NEA/ATA accredits black schools under “separate but equal” doctrine AFT files amicus briefs for plaintiffs in Brown v. Board of Education AFT revokes charters of its few [...] At each level, union members elect a representative body, which then elects executive officers. Local Chapters Local branches or chapters represent members from a particular district or geography. They have their own governing bodies and deal with issues relevant to their constituents, including local bargaining agreements.

Scholars and policy analysts have published a wealth of research on the roles of teachers in politics and policy in countries around the world. Teachers’ unions can strongly shape education policy, especially in terms of improvements to teacher compensation and opposition to policies to expand school choice. But in some policy areas where technical knowledge is highly valued, unions may be less consequential than they are commonly thought to be. [...] Teachers, through their participation in labor unions, are widely regarded as a powerful interest group. A recent example of this power is teacher unions’ clashes with governments regarding resuming in-person learning during the global pandemic. But even before this unprecedented crisis, there was broad agreement among scholars and policymakers that teachers’ unions have had substantial influence on education policy. [...] This may be because teachers’ unions operate more like labor organizations that are concerned with salaries and benefits and less like professional associations that articulate alternative policy proposals. In the 20th century, when schooling systems were expanding and teacher working conditions were informal and precarious, it was understandable that labor issues were salient. Hiring more teachers and paying them more is consistent with an input-oriented system.