Working in union gives educators the power to make meaningful improvements for students, our profession, public education and our communities.
But corporate interests want to destabilize unions through legislation at the national and state levels because we are the last line of defense for the middle class.
Below is just a sampling of research supporting the difference unions make in the lives of educators:
- A study of three decades of research found that in places where educators were unionized and unions were strong, district spending and educator pay were higher -- for experienced teachers in particular.
- A study by the Economic Policy Institute found that educator unions reduced stress, while anti-union laws increase educator stress.
- When educator unions lobby, more money directed toward education actually gets into classrooms.
- Teachers earn 24% more on average in states with collective bargaining.