Why should teachers join teacher unions?

The teachers union is one of the most successful labour organizations in the United States because it provides important benefits to its members. Every new teacher has to choose whether they should join the teacher’s union. But in some cases, joining the teacher’s union is not in the individual’s hands. Because in eighteen states, it is legal to compel a teacher to join a union as a condition for continued employment. While in other states, it is individuals’ choice whether to join a union or not. Following are a few reasons why teachers should join teachers’ unions.

It protects teachers from political changes

Education is always the important department to address when the state or community politics changes. Political changes cause negative impacts on the teacher’s profession, but teachers’ unions decrease these impacts to some extent. It helps teachers to teach without getting affected by political biases. Teachers can acquire web content writing services to create educational websites for the students to help them learn in better ways. The teacher’s unions also help improve the student and teacher relationships.

• It creates unification

Individuals working together can make change faster than those working separately. In the teacher’s unions, all teachers work together to advocate for their rights and support their students simultaneously. It is a successful method for allowing teachers to affect the public education that students can get.   

• It creates the possibility of tenure

Tenure is often misunderstood in public education. It is seen as giving job for life opportunities to the teachers, yet that is seldom the situation. Tenure is an asset which permits teachers, after trial periods, to have ensured due process rights as part of their employment. It shields teachers from favouritism, allowing them to teach children without prejudice. Tenure for public teachers in the United States usually takes three years.

• It offers professional development for teachers

Teachers’ unions provide great opportunities for the professional development of educators. Union offers several development programs that proved effective for the teachers. It takes place in formal and informal settings. Formal settings include workshops, seminars, conferences and courses. And informal development involves peer learning initiatives, independent investigation or research or just informal chatting with colleagues in the staff room.

Legal support for teachers

Another important advantage of teachers’ unions is easy to access to legal help and support. Teachers union gives legal guidance and representation in different circumstances. For instance, it offers legal representation to educators engaged in some lawsuits that emerge during their employment period. It also offers legal assistance if teachers face some disciplinary process.

• Teachers are the only focus of teachers’ unions

Various unions in the United States address labourers from various occupations. At the same time, certain unions have held a sharp spotlight on particular types of workers. According to the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), teachers’ unions represent teachers and professionals connected with teaching and education. These unions strive hard and raise every issue regarding teachers or other education-related professions.

• Schools with a high level of unionization tend to perform better

Countries like Singapore and Finland have 100 % unionization in their schools, so they provide better outcomes for students than the schools in the united states. In the US, it is also noticed that states with high unionization tend to perform better than the states with low unionization. According to the Washington Post report, the non-union states are in the bottom 15 regarding performance.

• Teachers union offers liability insurance

Professional insurance works as a shield to safeguard your assets when you are sued because of an event due to educational obligation and have to pay damages. The school district insurance policy covers only the district, not the individual teachers. But the teachers union cover everything for their members, including a lawsuit and attorney fees, and compensations.

Negotiate salary and other benefits

A significant advantage offered by the teachers union is negotiating salary and other benefits packages. But unfortunately, in the whole country, circumstances emerge when educators in a given region have to fight to get the proper compensation and good advantages. Accomplishment in these areas consistently relies on the planned efforts of the teacher’s unions.

• Support when sick or disabled

Teachers’ unions provide great support to sick and disabled individuals. Unions help those individuals in every way possible, including arranging appropriate accommodation at the workplace for the disabled and ill teachers.

• Teachers can have a voice in policy

Teachers’ unions permit individual educators to advocate for advanced education spending. It provides the voice in policymaking that would normally ignore their opinion but demand their consistency. The teacher is in the classroom all day, not the politicians or administrators. When their experience is utilized in policymaking, it can help students learn effectively.

• Financial benefits and perks for teachers

There are certain financial benefits to the teacher’s unions. For instance, membership in teachers union have discounts for several service and retailer providers. These discounts sometimes cover a wide range of products and services.

Union fees are often tax-deductible

Teachers who join teachers’ unions have to pay monthly fees to join the union. Some unions have annual maintenance fees. And some unions charge new representatives as initiation fees for the new job. Even though the expense of this advantage can be five per cent of the educator’s overall salary, the charges are tax-deductible. The profit that the union offers will assist in counterbalancing the expense. Educators who have continuous membership can procure around ten per cent more than non-union members. Even after the union fees, teachers’ unions create better income for teachers.

• Union brings teachers, administration and parents together

Teachers’ unions benefit not only teachers but also students, parents, and the whole school collectively. Teachers’ unions encourage education reforms and work for hand in hand with school administration. When people work together, it can lead to meaning full changes. The union permits teachers to advocate for children, track down assets for their state, and support their local states.

A teacher’s union may not be the strong structure in the education department today, but it is a great source that offers better learning opportunities. At a broader level, the presence of a teacher’s union is helpful for everyone.