<<  <  >  >>

At least one such example has emerged in

In every bargaining law state--an impor-

the Fort Worth, Texas, area. The United

tant qualification--the state teacher unions

Educators Association, a for-profit company,

are highly influential lobbies in the legisla-

represents 11,000 teachers. In the Fort Worth

tures, but this is not a reason to believe that

area, returning teacher members pay $174 in

the proposal is hopeless. To illustrate, Florida

dues, and first-year members pay $119.

is a bargaining law state, but Republicans

Elsewhere in the region, the dues are $149 for

occupy the governor's office and hold

returning members and $104 for first-year

majorities in both houses of the state legisla-

members. Meanwhile, the NEA and state dues

ture. It is also a state in which the state

in the Texas State Teachers Association (the

teacher unions in transition to a merged

state NEA affiliate in Texas) are $356 plus

state organization are committed to an all-

local dues that vary from $21 to $70 in the

out effort to defeat Republican governor Jeb

UEA region. Support personnel, who com-

Bush and various Republican members of

prise about 20 percent of UEA members, pay

the legislature in the 2002 elections.

$119 in the Fort Worth area and $104 else-

Obviously, the Republican majorities in the

where in the UEA area.19 UEA rebates $10 per

state legislature have strong partisan as well

member to its local affiliates, who can spend

as public policy reasons to terminate the

State legislatures

the amounts received from UEA in any way

teacher union monopoly on teacher repre-

would have to

they wish. Larry Shaw, the founder and execu-

sentation.

tive director of UEA, has asserted that teachers

It is difficult to see how NEA/AFT could

pass laws that

do not care about the fact that UEA is a for-

successfully persuade most teachers that leg-

reduce the mini-

profit corporation in which Shaw owns all the

islation that expands their choice of exclusive

mum showing of

stock.20 His reason for adopting the unusual

representative is harmful to teachers. This

organizational structure was to avoid litiga-

will not deter the teacher unions from attack-

interest, permit

tion against a board of directors established

ing the legislation as "anti-union" but it is

other types of

under a conventional corporate structure.

indisputable that the interests of teachers

organizations

Inasmuch as teacher bargaining is regulat-

often diverge from the interests of the

ed by the states, state legislatures and execu-

teacher unions. Every experienced labor

and individuals

tives would have to pass legislation that would

negotiator in public education can attest to

to represent

reduce the minimum showing of interest, per-

the accuracy of this statement. As we have

mit other types of organizations, as well as

seen, union proposals to deny union critics

teachers, and

individuals, to represent teachers, and enable

access to teachers are routine, even though it

enable all mem-

all members of the bargaining unit to vote on

is in the interests of teachers to know what

bers of the bar-

the critical employment issues noted above.

union critics have to say. When unions win

The teacher unions will adamantly oppose

representation elections by a narrow margin,

gaining unit to

these proposals even more than they oppose

they often seek long-term contracts that are

vote on critical

decertification efforts in individual school dis-

not good for teachers but preclude chal-

tricts. Being decertified in one school district

lenges to the winning union for several years.

employment

is not likely to be a catastrophic defeat for the

By the time the contract is about to expire,

issues.

teacher unions, but the prospect of having to

the opposition to the union is marginalized

compete against a variety of contenders for the

or has disappeared due to inability to main-

bargaining rights and revenues they already

tain an organization that does not enjoy pay-

enjoy statewide and nationally would be a cat-

roll deduction of dues and access to teachers

astrophe for them. Enactment of the proposal

on district facilities.

in one state would trigger consideration of the

As matters stand, there is no competition

proposal in other states. Rank-and-file teach-

between the NEA and AFT nor is there likely

ers have every reason to support legislation

to be any as long as their leadership works

that would expand their choice of exclusive

closely together to merge the two unions.

representative.

Furthermore, in states and school districts

9