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…

"Education Matters" is the monthly newsletter of the Association of American Educators (AAE), an organization dedicated to advancing the American teaching profession through personal growth, professional development, teacher advocacy and protection. This issue of the newsletter includes: (1) How to Avoid Burnout (Kate Johanns); and (2)…

School boards may permit incumbent teacher unions access to mailboxes while prohibiting rival unions such access. Dissenting justices argued that exclusive access is discrimination and amounts to censorship and infringement of the First Amendment. School boards should consider carefully before granting exclusive access to incumbent unions. (PB)

Within Australia's complex labor relations system, federal law has gradually become dominant over state law. In the 1990s, the Australian High Court broadened workers' entitlements. In a 1995 case, teachers have become pivotal in the new industrial relations system. The federal law becomes more significant for unions and their members in seeking…

Discusses the confusion on issues of teacher roles and collective bargaining resulting from the court case, "National Labor Relations Board v. Yeshiva University." Presents the possible implications from the perspective of teachers as well as administration. Outlines the "Toledo Plan," an Ohio program where a teacher governance…

Discusses the "Yeshiva issue" from a management perspective critiquing Iorio's article and his assumption that the decision would serve as a "moderating influence." Points to the need for schools to increase teacher decision-making participation while ensuring a continuation of teachers' unions in collective bargaining. (MD)

The relationship between faculty union mandatory membership provisions in a collective bargaining agreement and the rights of faculty protected by tenure and academic freedom are examined, and college options and considerations in negotiating contracts under collective bargaining laws are discussed. (MSE)

Garland Independent School District (Texas) has a clear-cut policy of free choice regarding union membership and has placed firm restrictions on union activities during shool hours. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals recently upheld these restrictions but struck down a superintendent's claim that teachers' private communications violated district…

Discusses a 1984 United States Supreme Court ruling against 20 faculty members not belonging to the Minnesota Community College Faculty Association (MCCFA) who alleged that their right to meet and confer with their employers over employment terms and conditions was violated by MCCFA representation excluding nonunion members. (JBM)

The results are reported of court litigation in which Boston University faculty were denied the right to collective bargaining because faculty are considered supervisors. The role of the American Association of University Professors is also discussed and excerpts from the court's opinion are presented. (MSE)

The author discusses what he considers to be the 10 leading cases on education labor relations decided in state and federal courts during the 1990s. Concludes with a prediction that efforts to implement merit-pay schemes tied to student performance will lead to employment conflict. (PKP)

Within the core of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) are a number of measures to hold states, school districts, schools, and school personnel more accountable for student progress. Summarizes state legislation and court cases concerning school administrators, tenure, collective bargaining, and personnel records. (Contains 32 references.) (MLF)

The legal status of tenure rights threatened by financial exigency and the role of the American Association of University Professors in protecting those rights are considered. Accommodations of competing managerial, employee, and institutional interests that must be addressed are also discussed. Court cases are reviewed that deal with managerial…

Although the law has been the vehicle for launching school-reform efforts, little attention has been paid to the ways in which legal mechanisms enable or constrain effective school reform; however, law-based school reforms (lawsuits, regulations, statutes, and collective-bargaining provisions) have not changed the fundamental character of the…

The number of reported cases dealing with collective bargaining increased for the second consecutive year. While there was a significant amount of litigation, including one Supreme Court case, the courts relied on established precedents in deciding the many different issues confronting them. The review addresses the following topics at the K-12…