Showdown: Wisconsin - Good Schools and Teachers' Unions
The anti-union sentiments surrounding governor Scott Walker's administration are nothing new, but much of the criticism headped on unions is based on a lack of understanding of how unions came about, what they do, and why the are necessary today.
Unions emerge to protect the rights of the workers in the face of the organizations for whom they work. For early factory workers, this meant decent wages and safer working conditions. Reforms like those spearheaded by unions helped end child labor and other abuses that were perpetrated by business owners.
In schools unions are there not so much to protect the teachers, but to help them preserve the conditions that they need to be successful. Public employees tend to enjoy high quality medical and dental insurance, as they are part of one of the largest collective bargaining units, but teachers' unions go beyond these types of benefits.
Teachers' unions are often committed to educating and improving the qualifications of their members. Unions will often negotiate with school districts and/or states to secure funding to send their members back to school for additional training, degrees, or conferences. Expenses like these are investments, not only in the instructors, but in the futures of the school district, and the children themselves.
Workload is another important consideration. An unfortunate consequence of a capitalist system is the desire to squeeze as much work as possible out of every worker in the name of maximizing efficiency and profits. Nowhere is this thinking more flawed than in the educational system. Keeping student-teacher ratios low (that is, fewer students per teacher) ensures a better learning environment for the students, higher test scores for the district, and better mental health for the teacher.
Too often backlash against teachers is predicated on the idea that "unions might have been necessary years ago, but not anymore..." Additionally, in the face of one of the worst recessions in recent memory, the great numbers of unemployed and underemployed people are understandably put off by the idea of any group attempting to maintain power that protects their own wellbeing, presumably at the expense of taxpayers.
Teachers work hard. They help build the future by delivering high quality education to the students of this country. What price can you put on keeping these people fed and healthy? Whenever you are advocating for change in a school district, attempt to engage the union. Many of them tend to be politically active (another criticism often leveled against them) and if you can align your reform goals with goals that the union can support, you can gain a powerful ally. However, never be afraid to stand or speak against a union when the best interests of the students are at risk.