One Teacher's Perspective: Collective Bargaining is Vital to Public Education

One Teacher's Perspective: Collective Bargaining is Vital to Public Education:

Collective Bargaining is Vital to Public Education

by Imagine Wisconsin

Before February11, 2011, I rarely discussed with my Wisconsin non-union friends andneighbors the merits or demerits of union rights. However, as noted in lastweek’s post, GovernorWalker’s dichotomous creationleaves no room, short of his recall, for safeguarding publiceducators’ union rights. Securing the recall of defective governorship inWisconsin requires public educators to garner support for their unions fromnon-union workers.

Admittedly, defending teachers’ collectivebargaining rights is a challenge when the vast majority of private sectorworkers are currently not union members. I do not claim to know what is bestfor non-union laborers in their own lines of work. However, I unapologetically believe thatprotecting teacher union rights is vital to the long-term future of qualitypublic education.

A year ago, I made this very point to my localschool board members in urging local opposition to Walker’s union-bustingrepair bill. In response, one commissioner wrote,