Teachers unions have had a "muscular" presence in some states, but in others, especially in the South and Southwest, the unions have held little power in recent decades, and the growing dominance of conservative Republicans in state legislatures and statehouses was creating a hostile environment with right-to-work (RTW) laws. The…

Collective bargaining is the process of negotiating and administering a contract agreement between a union and the employing organization. Although the specific provisions of collective bargaining agreements vary from one school to another, the collective bargaining process, and negotiated contract generally, address the following issues:…

Despite differences among state laws authorizing collective bargaining, and despite the variety of administrative and legal structures that enforce collective bargaining rights and obligations, a considerable degree of consensus has evolved throughout the states. Accordingly, this chapter highlights the major features of the law with respect to…