Most of us can recall loving teachers whose affirmations and careful instruction powerfully impacted our lives. In celebration of their influence, this week is Teacher Appreciation Week in America.The author is from California, a non-right-to-work state--which means we teachers are compelled to pay three different unions whether or not we're members of those unions.
Although we’re still inspiring youth, many educators aren’t feeling appreciated today because the unions we’re compelled to hire tend to support policies that are often harmful to our students and lead to low morale among teachers.
When unions started at the turn of the last century, their united support was necessary, but sadly, unions have become what they used to fight – powerful, entrenched organizations more focused on self-preservation and pushing their political agenda than on protecting the rights of individual members.
What do we want? To be free from union tyranny!
When do we want it? Now!
11 comments:
Little New Hampshire school here. I'm the science teacher. Today the PTA brought in 28 huge crock pots of delicious food. We stuffed ourselves and took home containers at their urging.
Union school but pretty low key thing. We are treated well and give them our all in return.
Taught in CA back in the day. Wouldn't do it again.
Richard
And, as always ... without tyranny, unions are irrelevant. Better to engage yourself and try to fix what you don't like.
You're over a hundred years out of date, max.
Not according to sound economic theory, Darren. I understand why you don't like unions, and especially yours -- as I was a rep for several years and was completely frustrated. But the only way that they work at all is if everyone is in. Or at least appears to be. Why do teachers at private schools make less money than public? After all, the kids are paying not only their public school tax, but tuition on top of that. Two reasons: they don't require credentials, and the teachers are not unionized.
You simplify too much. There are private schools where teachers are paid much more than public schools. Why would people work in private schools that pay less? There are several reasons I can think of, including religious ones. They accept the lower pay for better working conditions, perhaps?
Your comment, though, makes it clear that unions are parasitic in nature. They were needed a hundred years ago, they're an anachronism today--as shown by the fact that the vast majority of union members in this country are government workers. The private sector seems to be doing OK without unions, for the most part. There have even been some pretty significant "no to union" votes recently, at both a Walmart and an auto plant.
Go peddle your whale oil and buggy whips somewhere else.
I'm sure there might be a private school that pays better than a public one nearby ... but if you look at averages, it isn't true. Religious preference definitely is a reason, and better working conditions, maybe ... but these same teachers could make more if they were part of a union. While I'll agree with you that the problems unions addressed a hundred, and more years ago were more significant, it still doesn't change the fact that there is a legitimate reason for them to be involved in wage negotiations ... much more so than the government trying to impose a minimum wage. Walmart consistently tries to avoid setting up stores in communities prone to unionism, and the auto plant vote (I don't remember the company) was the same. It's not so much a non -union vote as it is a "we want jobs, no matter what " thing ...which I guess is okay, but it's also exactly why we need unions. Where we DON'T need unions ...industries where you have easily identifiable skills that are unique. And no, teaching is not one of those ... good teaching is completely subjective, unless you're completely bad. But basketball players? Pretty easy for them to negotiate a 'fair' salary. It's the interchangeable workers who need them -- and, unfortunately, public education has made teachers as interchangeable as Wal-Mart workers. I'll go back to scrivening, now. The whale oil is running out ...
It's good that you know more than those car workers, that they're too dumb to know they need a union. They were in a community not prone to unionism? Doesn't that just mean that the people don't want unions, whether or not *you* think they need them?
You can bring up Walmart all day, but fewer than 1 in 6 private jobs today is union. That's down from those evil 1950s, and I cheer the trend. What I don't cheer is that most non-military government jobs are now union.
Actually, I do know more than those car workers ... I've actually studied the subject. That doesn't make them dumb -- most people don't have a sound background in economics ... and if you're desperate for jobs, you'll take a non union job. But you are guaranteed to be paid less than you would if it were unionized, and the firm takes the extra profit. Government jobs are different ... the model doesn't work as well, because government has no incentive to maximize profit ... so they are much more willing to give away extra taxpayer money. But that can be counteracted by people voting for candidates who won't do that. I know I don't vote for candidates prone to largesse, but I can only speak for me.
And there we have it, folks--those dumb hicks don't know enough to figure out that a union would be good for them, they need some smart guy like max to tell them what's best for them.
Maybe they see a bigger picture, maybe something beyond, and perhaps more important than, just their next paycheck? Maybe they see all those automaker jobs in Detroit. Maybe they see unions giving millions to political causes the workers don't support. Maybe, just maybe, those workers have a good relationship with the company they work for, a relationship that at its core isn't adversarial. Amazing, isn't it, when you think about it even just a little bit.
And for the record ... the auto plant in question DID offer a union-like alternative, with employee empowerment ... It's possible that that will be a successful model. I doubt they will be better off, but I could certainly be wrong.
They offered what they have in Germany but is considered *illegal* in this country--because it's akin to an in-house union.
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