Albert Shanker (1928-1997) is known mainly for his successful struggle to obtain collective bargaining for teachers, his leadership of teacher unions, and his championship of education reform. Shanker built large and powerful city, state, and national unions of teachers and other public employees that still stand as models both for union democracy…

In October 2012, Premier Christy Clark announced government would consult with the education partners for the purpose of reviewing teacher bargaining structures and processes with the goal of providing a more stable learning environment for British Columbia students. The review looked for opportunities to achieve two priorities: (1) Create…

Teachers in the English and Welsh State education system have experienced a changing and turbulent relationship with the State in recent decades. This article adopts a historical analysis and argues that the concept of "partnership" is key to understanding the relationship between teachers and the State in the period since the Second…

Union-management relationships have been filled with fear since the rise of capitalism; public education is no different. Workers fear exploitation by owners (profits depend on it) and capitalist/management has always worried that the working classes will organize and either take over the firm or strike and bring production to a screeching halt.…

Responds to a commentary on the author's changed opinion about teacher unions, expressing disagreement with the commentary's portrayal of the author, examining the only point of agreement (the inappropriateness of the subtitle of an article on teacher unions), and explaining the author's change in views from supporting teacher unions to supporting…

Though the advent of collective bargaining represents a significant development in the history of American education, most research and commentary about public schools focuses on other matters. It is a curious omission, especially after nearly five decades of extraordinary union growth. As the authors assessed its impact for this essay, they…

Responds and takes exception to the assumptions and arguments of Myron Lieberman, who argues against teacher unionism and says it is the major obstacle to educational reform. After summarizing Lieberman's discussion of contemporary teacher unions, concludes that Lieberman is biased against teacher unions in his analysis of their contemporary…

In this book Cameron addresses the compelling story of the teacher revolution that took place in America in the 1960s and 1970s. He gives an insider's view of what happened, how it happened, and who made it happen, describing why teachers in America organized into unions and became more militant in the 1960s. American teachers had been taken for…

Teacher unions have faced significant criticism since their emergence three decades ago, resulting in serious reductions in their roles. Now, they are working to transform themselves, supporting educational reform initiatives while maintaining their advocacy role for teachers. The paper examines political, social, and organizational factors that…

This publication is intended to help school management personnel become more familiar with the nature of and the means for resolving negotiations impasses. Aspects of mediation and arbitration are discussed, and basic negotiating techniques that help school boards win arbitration cases are presented. Also provided are a sample arbitration case…

This booklet is the first in a series about teacher union issues. It notes that agency fees raise profound issues in education, labor relations, and public policy. Chapter 1 introduces the booklet, explaining that it is helps clarify major agency fee issues and recommend appropriate action. Chapter 2, NEA/AFT Revenues from Agency Fees, explains…

Negotiations relating to terms and conditions of teacher employment should not be part of negotiations on policy issues in which other groups have a legitimate interest. Educational policy should be made in cooperation with organizations and agencies involved in housing, transportation, medical services, and other life support systems. (Author)

Presents the history of the Newark Teachers Union, explaining how it reached out to teachers who had previously kept their distance by emphasizing professionalism and collective bargaining. However, 25 years later, teachers are disappointed because the Newark schools continued to decline despite the union victory, and the union itself became…