What Is The Difference Between A Teacher’s Union And A Teachers Association?
Teachers unions have been in the spotlight and so has the control they have over our education system. The power they wield, when compared to a teachers association, is mind-boggling and shows the vast difference between the two. These are the major differences between a teachers union and a teachers association.
Teachers unions have been in the spotlight and so has the control they have over our education system. The power they wield, when compared to a teachers association, is mind-boggling and shows the vast difference between the two. These are the major differences between a teachers union and a teachers association.
TEACHERS UNION VS ASSOCIATION – WHAT ARE THEY?
Let’s start with a teacher’s association. The first thing to know about teachers’ associations is that they are nonunionized. This means they hold no collective bargaining power, which we will get into shortly. The typical focus of a teacher’s association is to foster member development and success. A teacher’s association will support teachers legally if they have issues with their school or students.
As it pertains to a teacher’s union, this is where power comes into play. As a group, oftentimes large in nature, a teacher’s union has exclusive collective bargaining rights. This means the union speaks for its members on issues such as salary, sick time, and even paid time off. They are very powerful entities, as there is strength in numbers.
TEACHERS UNION VS ASSOCIATION – ANY SIMILARITIES?
While there are differences between teachers unions and teachers associatons, there are numerous similarities as well. Those similarities are designed to help teachers in various ways. They include:
- Teacher’s Legal Protection – Here, both will protect a teacher from any legal issues that may arise, be it from the school or even trouble with a student. If doing your educational duties puts you in harm’s way, both will come to your defense and even cover your legal costs.
- Teacher Advocacy – A teacher’s union and an association will speak up for members. They will have the backs of members, making sure the needs of the teachers are met. They will focus on issues that their members are facing and strive to make the educational atmosphere a better one.
- Liability Insurance – School districts have their own liability insurance, which is a good thing unless you are the teacher. A district’s liability insurance will help the district, but not the individual teacher. Both the teacher’s union and an association will offer liability insurance for teachers on the off chance that they run into legal matters.
- Professional Resources – Both a union and association will have access to any professional resource a teacher may need. With these, teachers will be able to stay current on new trends while also being able to reach out for much-needed advice on how to navigate classroom or workplace difficulties.
- Friendly Discounts – The one thing we all love is discounts. Members of a teacher’s union or association will have access to numerous discounts. They will see discounts on auto insurance, health insurance, entertainment discounts, and even retail purchase discounts.
TEACHERS UNION VS ASSOCIATION – THE DIFFERENCES
There truly is only one big difference between a teacher’s union and a teacher’s association and that is the ability to collectively bargain. The ability to negotiate is a powerful one to have and this is where unions can be beneficial. Because of this collective bargaining power, unions also have the ability to strike. Sometimes, though, this power is a double-edged sword. As a union member, even if you do not agree with what they are selling, you are still expected to toe the line.
You will also see when comparing dues that union fees are much higher than associations. This difference is because of the weight a union carries and its ability to collectively bargain. Their voice is loud and a few teachers’ unions (National Education Association, American Federation of Teachers, Chicago Teachers Union, New Jersey Education Association) are some of the most powerful unions in the United States.
FREEING TEACHERS FROM UNIONS
In 2018 a Supreme Court ruling decided that teachers could no longer be forced into joining a union. For many teachers, this was a breath of fresh air. They no longer had to join something they didn’t feel truly supported their best interests. They were no longer forced to pay dues into something they saw little return.
The similarities between a teacher’s union and association are many. But the differences, while not big in numbers, are huge. Thankfully, teachers now have a choice as to which way they want to go.
