Unions – Let Me Clarify
by admin on Jan.05, 2011, under EDUCATION
Written some negative things about unions in the past, that made some label me as a anti-union or a union buster etc. . So let me clarify.
When it comes to Private – Sector Unions I do believe in the right to organize and negotiate collectively. When the work itself is low-skill and offers the worker little or no protection - I do believe unions have a necessary place in society. All one needs to do is read the book the “Grapes of Wrath” to understand the need for workers to organize.
I am encouraged to see worker’s in China and other parts of the developing world beginning to understand the power of the collective and fight for better wages and work conditions.
My frustration is not directed toward private-sector unions – but unions in the public-sector, and more specifically teacher unions.
Teaching, I believe is a profession that requires great skill and passion for one’s success. Unfortunately, teacher unions have denigrated this great profession into one that believes that all teacher workers are of equal ability and skill. This is a myth that no one believes, but it permeates throughout education and impedes any meaningful reform. What it has done though, is create a race toward mediocrity among its members.
Teachers have told me that we need a union to ”protect” us from an abusive government that would rein in compensation and increase expectations and accountability. To that I say this – we live in a democracy. If a government is elected to reform education, who are we to stand in the way?
In a democracy citizens are able to shape public public policy – including education. If we deny parents and others the ability to influence the education system through the threat of strikes and other actions, then people will choose other alternatives such as private and charter schools.
After over ten years of teaching and early in my career being actively involved in my teachers’ union one thing has become clear. That I cannot believe strongly in education and support my teacher’s union. They are a liability toward the cause of public education. They stand in the way of any meaningful improved teacher performance and appraisal.
Through the threat of work stoppage, they continually fill their pockets while needed money is drained from other areas of need within the education system.
I believe public school teachers realize the role they play in supporting and defending public education. I remain hopeful teachers would rather support a Teacher Association that promotes and protects public education and not just their job.
