Teachers+Unions

Teachers Unions
In some states, you will be required to join a teachers union. In Colorado, you are not. In either case, you need information to help you understand what union membership offers. The subject of public employee unions is a complicated and divisive one; this makes it more difficult to find objective information to help you decide. Thus, I list below some resources to consider. I've selected them based on my evaluation of their accuracy and usefulness to new teachers. Please read them all with a critical lens.

Pros and Cons
Lindsey Winkler prepared her early-career starter sheet on this topic in Spring 2011. I've adapted it into this chart. It will give you a pretty good overview of the common arguments.

Opposition to Unions
Public Service Research Foundation []

National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation This site focuses on the laws related to compulsory union membership. It seems fairly factual to me rather than opinion-based, but all of the questions are about how not to be required to join a union. []

Support for Unions
Teachers Talk This UK site will tell you about unions in England, which is not directly helpful. However, in following the links, you will find some of the same advantages discussed that you would have with a US union. []

teAchnology This site offers a good overview, largely factual, about what teachers unions do and who the two major US unions are. []

Various Issues
Union Facts This Q & A page has questions that teachers raise about required union membership. []