This book is a study of the Australian Education Union (AEU), a federal organization of government schoolteachers in the states and territories of Australia. Founded in 1984 as the Australian Teachers Union, it became the AEU in 1993. By 1998, the AEU had grown to become the third largest trade union in Australian, with some 157,000 members. This…

A superintendent narrates the events preceding a strike in his district, and the steps he took to prepare for and weather the strike. (IRT)

Tactics teachers can use to disrupt the board during collective bargaining. (IRT)

This booklet is the first in a series about teacher union issues. It notes that agency fees raise profound issues in education, labor relations, and public policy. Chapter 1 introduces the booklet, explaining that it is helps clarify major agency fee issues and recommend appropriate action. Chapter 2, NEA/AFT Revenues from Agency Fees, explains…

This report contains a variety of selected materials related to different aspects of collective negotiations in public education. Special reports written by leading experts in the field comprise the first section. The second section contains three chapters that are complete texts of a commission report and the proposed statutes covering…

Albert Shanker made a significant mark on American political life and altered the politics of education and teacher unionism, though his politics often caused controversy and conflict. Through his long career as a teacher union leader, he helped revolutionize the nation's labor movement and its educational system, utilizing strategies from…

This booklet, one in the Education Policy Institute series about teacher union issues, examines issues related to membership in the National Education Association (NEA) and American Federation of Teachers (AFT). Both unions aggressively strive to enroll more members or require teachers to pay agency fees. If teachers want to change union policy,…

This book describes the structure, operations, and influences of teacher unions, especially the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). There is a belief that an NEA/AFT merger will take place in the 1990s, and that the emergence of strong teacher unions is an important development in education, the…

Albert Shanker headed the American Federation of Teachers for 22 years and was president of the New York City teachers union. Both organizations were transformed by his presence. Shanker altered the politics of education and teacher unionism. During his tenure, American political life encountered the birth of social movements challenging the…

Traces the history of Al Shanker's work in building the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), focusing on his tenure as president of the organization. During his presidency, the AFT won 1,249 elections involving half a million people and added 373 locals to its membership. (SLD)

This booklet, part of the Education Policy Institute series about teacher union issues, clarifies the concept of parent involvement in educational reform, analyzing the treatment of parents in collective bargaining contracts between teacher unions and school boards and in union policy resolutions. Chapter 1 introduces the issue, offering an…

This paper is devoted to educational reform strategy and tactics relating to the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the nation's largest teacher unions. As is widely recognized, the teacher unions are the major obstacle to market oriented educational reforms, such as school choice or contracting out…

This study focused on the factors in negotiations that cause impasse. The major hypothesis, "There is a significant difference in the perceptions of school board members and teacher executive leadership regarding impasse factors," was upheld. Data were collected from board members, administrators, teacher association officials, and negotiators…

This report discusses teacher organizing, strikes, collective bargaining and negotiations, contract settlements, economic issues, legal developments, and state legislative activities. The first section contains fact sheets and organizing literature from the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). A…

Drawing on survey data from 83 New York school districts and case studies of 6 districts, the project reported here explores several aspects of schools and districts as organizations. The conceptual framework guiding the study emphasizes that educational organizations are not governed either by their structure or by the reactions of individuals,…