Teacher Unions: Benefits vs. Cost of Unions and Collective Bargaining

1. Teacher Unions: Benefits vs. Cost of Unions and Collective Bargaining Michelle Cotter and KatyaZablotney

2. The Benefits of Public Teacher Unions Michelle Cotter

3. The History Behind Unions • First unions were established to ensure decent wages, hours, and working conditions for teachers. • Success of organized teacher unions has led to higher pay, greater benefits, decline in # of teacher strikes. • Currently 34 states legally require collective bargaining, 11 states deem it permissible and only 5 states deem collective bargaining illegal. • ¾ of nations teachers participating in unions • 3.2 million members of NEA & 1.2 million members of AFT

4. Salaries and Benefits • 30% higher benefits than non union states (Hirsch, Macpherson, & Winters, 2012) • Negotiate better working conditions such as: • Smaller class size • Contract hours • Professional development (time and space for training and development, w/ materials and trainers paid for by unions) • Unionized districts shown to have 10% higher salaries (Hirsch, Macpherson, & Winters, 2012) • Union states afforded opportunity to negotiate salaries and step increases. • In a state by state comparison of average salaries collected from the National Center for Education Statistics: • Top 16 states (all above national average) were unionized states • 5 non- union states (GA, VA, TX, SC, NC) fell below national average landing at 23rd, 30th, 37th, 39th, & 47th

5. Teachers’ Views and Perceptions • Teacher Opinion Survey conducted by Educationsector.org found strong support among teachers for unions • More than ¾ of 1,100 teachers felt without a union working conditions and salaries would suffer • More than ½ surveyed who were not members of a union agreed and felt more vulnerable with a union.

6. Impact on Student Achievement • Limited studies that find a link between collective bargaining agreements and student achievement, but there is research that support the claim that collective bargaining agreements foster improved student learning • Due to fact that contracts now go beyond original “bread and butter” basics to include issues related to student achievement, professional development, and education reform (Burroughs, 2008) • According to Education Policy Brief (Borough, 2008) teachers in unionized states are afforded higher salaries, better benefits, and smaller class sizes, factors that have led to improved teacher quality and student achievement, as well as, greater morale among teachers. • Unions foster more efficient organizations that have greater productivity and fewer turnover of teachers.

7. Unions and Public Policy/ Politics • Unions are important in looking out for interests of teachers and districts in political venue • In 2010 election teacher unions were among top 10 donors to governor and other executive positions, legislative, high court, & elected education positions (Kahlenberg 2012) • Teachers’ interest are the best interest of students, therefore if unions look out for best interest of teachers, it looks out for best interest of students • Unions such as NEA & AFT support school choice within public schools system and oppose private vouchers, thus strengthening public school system • NEA & AFT favor paying teachers bonuses to attract quality teachers to high poverty & high need schools.

8. Conclusion Review of research and data shows high support for benefits for unions. If collective bargaining is so bad for education where are the above average results in achievement in the south and charter schools who disallow it?

9. THE PROBLEM WITH PUBLIC EMPLOYEE UNIONS Katya Zablotney

10. Funding for union demands comes from tax-payer dollars, not corporate profits. • Finite amount • Increases in salaries, benefits or pensions must be taken from other public services or generated by a raise in taxes.

11. Collective Bargaining Concerns • Can take away the 1st Amendment rights of Freedom of Speech by requiring members to fund collective bargaining for agendas they don’t support. • Non-elected officials put in the position of helping to decide how tax-payer dollars should be used.

12. Right to Strike Hnders the daily running of the government. Unfairly affects the lives of tax-payers and the local economy. “Since their own services have to do with the functioning of the Government, a strike of public employees manifests nothing less than an intent on their part to prevent or obstruct the operations of Government until their demands are satisfied. Such action, looking toward the paralysis of Government by those who have sworn to support it, is unthinkable and intolerable. “ Franklin D. Roosevelt, August 16, 1937 Letter to the President of the National Federation of Federal Employees

13. Problems with the Political Activities of Unions • Public union membership and donations exceeds private unions. • Basically choosing who will negotiate with them during collective bargaining. • Political power inhibits legislators from making policies against the unions wishes for fear of retribution, even if it they are not in the best interests of the state. • Inhibits reform.

14. Union Policies Make it Hard to Remove Incompetent Employees • New York Cities “Rubber Rooms” – teachers accused of incompetence or misconduct would sit for months or even years awaiting disciplinary hearings, all with full pay and benefits.

15. Conclusion • Public employees deserve fair representation to negotiate wages and benefits, but should not have the legal power to collectively bargain or strike.