What Do Teachers' Unions Do?

The job of teacher is a professional occupation. Teachers normally have organized Teacher's Unions. Most, but not all, of the teachers join the union. Yet, many people do not know what a Teacher's Union is or what it does. This article addresses that question, and explains a bit about Teacher's Unions. Read on to learn of some information about Teacher's Unions.

Purpose of Teachers' Unions

The purpose of teacher's unions is generally to be a strong, unified advocating body for teachers. Unions advocate for teachers, but have an interest in the functioning of the overall education system. Unions are comprised of professionals deeply interested in, and passionate about education. Through the strength of their numbers, Unions are also able to provide a wealth of resources to their members that members would usually otherwise not be able to afford. These resources alone are perhaps reason enough to join the union, since access to many wonderful tools would otherwise not be possible or cost- effective without the union.

National Education Association

Some of the many members that comprise the National Education Association include education support professionals, higher education professionals, retired educators, students and substitute teachers as well. School administrators are also included. Therefore, this is an enormous organization participating members from various specialized backgrounds.

The National Education Association offers many benefits for membership. For instance, they have online lesson plans, grants and awards and are involved in advancement of professional pay issues. The National Education Association also offers practical advice for proper classroom management practices. There is also a program to help teachers find summer employment. Also, great books for teachers are reviewed and recommended in order to point teachers in the right direction for staying current with educational trends and information. The National Education Association presents a wealth of free tools by having a message board on their website that posts free tools for educators to use. Teachers can go there are get free things to use in their classroom.

American Federation of Teachers (AFT)

It is possible to join the American Federation of Teachers if one works in a pre-K through grade twelve system, a university system, an early childhood center, a government office or a healthcare facility. Some of the stated goals of the American Federation of Teachers include the ability to make their voices heard and give members access to resources as well as to better working conditions for people in the education field. They also produce a magazine with information, resources and updates that goes out to members regularly.

The above article defines teachers unions and explains some of the benefits of joining teacher's unions. Two unions in particular, the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers are described in detail. It is beneficial for educators to join the union in order to obtain access to the many available union resources, but joining the union is not for everyone. It is up to each educator and education support professional to decide for themselves whether it is worth it for them personally to join the teacher's union.

More Information On Teacher Unions

American Federation of Teachers (AFT)

National Education Association (NEA)

  1. Christian Educators Association International (CEAI)
  2. Ontario Teachers Federation