Under siege—and in bid to stay relevant—teacher unions evolve
HONOLULU — The Hawaii State Teachers Association’s weekly briefing meeting had turned into a battle-planning session; the conference room became a war room. It was late November. Officials were digging in for a protracted fight with the state over teacher evaluations and compensation.
They were also dealing with an internal problem: A rogue group of frustrated teachers had launched a “work-to-rule” campaign without union leaders’ approval, and they had to figure out how to respond.
Hawaii has traditionally been one of the most labor-friendly states in the nation. Collective bargaining is written into its constitution, and more than a fifth of its workforce belongs to a union. Only New York and Alaska have higher union-membership rates. A 2012 study by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a conservative education think tank, ranked the Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA) as the strongest teachers union in the country.
But by last November, Hawaii’s 13,000 teachers had reached a breaking point. They had been working without a negotiated contract for more than 16 months. For two years, the union and state had fought over pay, benefits and a new teacher evaluation plan. Defying the union, the governor-appointed Board of Education mandated a
They were also dealing with an internal problem: A rogue group of frustrated teachers had launched a “work-to-rule” campaign without union leaders’ approval, and they had to figure out how to respond.
Hawaii has traditionally been one of the most labor-friendly states in the nation. Collective bargaining is written into its constitution, and more than a fifth of its workforce belongs to a union. Only New York and Alaska have higher union-membership rates. A 2012 study by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a conservative education think tank, ranked the Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA) as the strongest teachers union in the country.
Students at James Campbell High School on Oahu join their teachers in a work-to-rule protest. On Thursdays, teachers at the school stop working at 3 p.m. and line a busy street nearby, holding signs to drum up public support. (Photo by Sarah Butrymowicz)
