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In most school districts, teachers and other school staff (custodians, paraprofessionals, cafeteria workers) are unionized.  Unions work to protect faculty and staff from inequitable labor practices, and negotiate wages and benefits through collective bargaining. In some school districts, the local teachers union includes teachers as well as paraprofessionals, cafeteria workers, bus drivers and other school personnel. In other districts, non-teaching positions may be represented by other unions, including the Teamsters, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) or others.

Most teachers unions have “building representatives” or “shop stewards,” who serve as the union liaison and leadership within each individual school building. These elected building “reps” sit on a district-wide council that helps decide on union activities and positions. It is usually worth building relationships with these leaders. That way, when an issue seems to present a conflict between staff interests and student needs, activists may be able to find solutions that satisfy both. Also, some issues may be of concern to both parents and teachers, providing the opportunity to work together to resolve problems.

Teachers unions engage in collective bargaining with the school district to create a contract that guides their working conditions. Contracts are typically negotiated every one to three years, but portions of the contract may be reviewed or renegotiated on an annual basis. Most union contracts determine wage and salary scales, but teachers’ contracts also may influence building assignments, evaluation processes, and tenure policies and practices. Increasingly, unions are insisting on the right to bargain around additional issues such as class size, facilities conditions, the composition of school and district decision-making teams, professional development and others that directly affect student learning. Contracts are public documents that should be available from the district and/or union office. Some local unions post contracts or summaries on their web sites.

Some states (Arizona, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia) do not allow collective bargaining by teachers. In these states, decisions about salaries and working conditions are decided by the district administration, with varying degrees of influence by teachers depending on the district leadership. Nevertheless, these states all have teacher union affiliates. But the unions typically are far less powerful than those in states where collective bargaining is guaranteed. Some states have laws that proscribe what can and cannot be included in collective bargaining agreements. To find out what your state’s “scope of bargaining” policies are, go to this link, which contains a state-by-state table on collective bargaining policies for teachers.

Unions represent faculty and staff in most school districts. In many large districts there are four or more unions – one each for principals; teachers and other professional staff; paraprofessionals such as teachers’ aides; and maintenance or custodial workers; as well as specialized unions for the trades, such as electricians. As mentioned above, guidelines for how districts negotiate with unions – and the parameters of collective bargaining – are usually set by states. Wages, salaries, and benefits account for about 85 percent of a typical district’s budget. Conservatives charge unions with getting in the way of school change, accusing them of protecting their own members (with contract language on teacher placement, seniority rights and due process provisions) over ensuring student achievement. In recent years, though, a growing number of local unions have begun to assert the role of teachers in changing schools for the better and leading the focus on student achievement. These locals say they have a responsibility to make sure all kids learn and to help get rid of teachers who can’t or won’t support this goal. They also are forging alliances with parent and community groups. Some of these locals belong to the Teacher Union Reform Network (TURN).

In a number of cities, local community organizations have developed good working relationships with their teachers union locals, and are engaged in joint efforts to reform schools. The Center for Community Change’s “Partnerships for Change” project supports and learns from these alliances.

January 2005 - Education Action Guide, Power Analysis: Who Can, Who Should, Who Will, Center for Community Change (pages 26-27; 31).