SDEA/NEA members negotiate for more than their own economic security through collective bargaining. They are also securing vital resources to help communities bring in more public resources to improve education. On average, union members earn higher pay, have better health and pension benefits, and have improved working conditions.
The benefits of unionization are crucial to those who choose to work in education. Through collective bargaining, SDEA/NEA members advocate for more than their own economic security. Union members tend to be more engaged in civic involvement and fight to secure vital public resources to adequately fund public schools. In good or bad economic times, a collaborative public education employer can better serve students and the community by negotiating in good faith with its union(s).
Working with a broad group of stakeholders, including parents and other community partners during the negotiations process, SDEA/NEA locals develop proposals to secure critical resources for students and ensure that all students have the support they need, no matter where they live.
Bargaining improves student learning and teacher working conditions.
Educators’ working conditions are students’ learning conditions. By addressing school and classroom issues, everyone wins. In negotiations, educators and their employers collaborate on student-centered issues such as setting limits on class size, identifying time for teachers and paraeducators to share effective classroom practices, addressing school health and safety issues, and ensuring teacher input into their own professional learning—all of which help students thrive.
Collective bargaining helps attract and retain the highest quality employees.
The educator shortage was a crisis well before the pandemic, but the pandemic has made it worse.
Experts like the Learning Policy Institute and the Economic Policy Institute note that low pay, poor working conditions, and lack of support for new teachers all play a role in exacerbating the educator shortage. SDEA/NEA locals, working with school districts and harnessing their members’ input, win for higher pay and improved and safe working conditions, as well as strong mentoring and induction programs for their members.
Ready, Set, Grow!
