We owe a debt of gratitude to the teacher labor movement in this country. Through it living costs of our teacher workers have produced in the past an economic engine bar none. When money gets in the hands of the teacher workers it is spent. Which moves to better working conditions and more complete employment for everyone. More taxes are paid. Our streets are repaired, our children are educated. Labor is the fuel of the economy, and teacher labor is vital to a vibrant middle class.
When money gets in the hands of entities that are not workers it is invested. It is saved it is pulled out of the economy and the money stops... or worst case scenario, it gets invested in other countries.
A long time ago an economist estimated that every dollar spent in education, resulted in 14 dollars of economic growth.
From humble beginnings, the teacher labor movement has developed the teaching profession from the world of a families "second" income to one where a reasonable working class life can be supported. When my father started in this profession in 1950, custodians were paid more than teachers. Teachers had to find a full time job in the summer to make ends meet. They often "moonlighted" to supplement their income to just above poverty lines. Growing up as a son of a teacher, we rode to school in old cars, wore clothes that were not as expensive as our peers and didn't eat steak, even at home. Our back to school wardrobe had to wait until October, when the teacher got paid for his or her first month of work. When we bought a Ford Falcon in 1960, we were really not sure that we could afford such a vehicle. Agents selling insurance and corporate salesmen could afford a new car every year with ease. Teachers are now not cast in such an economic hole, in part due to the unionization of teachers and the recognition of teachers as a viable group at the table.
Five years ago, before the housing bubble, beginning teachers were able to qualify for 260 thousand dollar homes with just their income. Health care even in my teaching career had become a necessity of contracts. A teacher could easily afford the 20% left on the table after the doctor was paid by the insurance company. Now that is pretty problematic for anyone. Teacher organization and understanding the dynamics of working through life journeys with health care has made worrying about what is covered and what is not an thing of the past for our young teachers and their new families. It was not an easy sell across the table or with our members. But it happened.
These basics were the result of bargaining over the years and a pushing to make teaching an economically viable profession.
As bargaining power of the teaching labor force developed with professionally negotiators, to counter the legal support provided by the bargaining forces from the district, teachers gained a foothold in their economic destiny as school budgets had to be made public and state budgets rather than local school district budgets became the economic engine of the academic enterprise. This would not have happened without the labor movement and the support of many teachers that had to come out of the "professional association model," and head for an advocacy model of "labor representation." It has been hard for many. It is not without its costs, both emotionally and monetarily. The journey has been worth it.
More important than negotiation rights was the inclusion rights of a union shop. Within my teaching career the memberships in both the high school district and the county district were strengthened by almost universal union membership. With everyone on board it is much easier to get what everyone needs, a fair contract, a respectable salary, and appropriate fringe benefits.
I salute the labor movement as it takes starts to realize its actualization in the public schools. With this actualization comes counter push from people who would like to see teachers paid like they were in the 1960's. Teachers need to stay strong. They must be able to teach the next generations so they may make America strong and competitive throughout the world.
: ) Pat
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