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Teacher Unions and the Politics of Fear in Labor Relations

Fordham University

John Sureau

Fordham University

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. In public education, teachers turned to collective bargaining in the 37 states that allow it to give them greater voice and power over their wages, benefits, and working conditions using collective actions through the American Federation of Teachers (AFL-CIO) and National Education Association, not unlike worker unionism in the private sector. Fear still resides beneath the surface but, since the 1990s, strikes are less common and teachers are well organized and earning better salaries and benefits than ever before. Whenever policies change, as under No Child Left Behind (NCLB) or charter school laws, teacher unions take the lead and are now even opening charter schools to guarantee that these teachers remain union members.

Key Words: unions • teacher power • strikes • collective bargaining • labor strife

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