Teacher strikes in the United States explained

From 1968 to 2012 at least 839 teacher strikes have occurred in the US. 740 of these have been in Pennsylvania.[1] Teacher strikes and walkouts have since increased in popularity outside of Pennsylvania due to the Red for Ed movement in 2018-19.

History

The 1919 Boston police strike chilled union interest in the public sector in the 1920s. The major exception was the emergence of unions of public school teachers in the largest cities; they formed the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), affiliated with the AFL. In suburbs and small cities, the National Education Association (NEA) became active, but it insisted it was not a labor union but a professional organization.[2]

Legality

The legality of teacher strikes vary from state to state. Collective bargaining by public sector employees and therefore teachers is explicitly illegal in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. 12 states have explicitly stated that teacher strikes are legal. These states are Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. South Carolina, Utah, and Wyoming have no explicit statutes or case law on the subject.[3]

In states that explicitly ban strikes, teachers have employed alternative tactics, such as walkouts and sick-outs where the majority of teachers call in sick on the same day.[4]

2018-2019 Education Workers' Strike Movement (Red for Ed)

See main article: 2018–2019 education workers' strikes in the United States. In February 2018, the US saw an education protest and strike movement, which began in West Virginia. Statewide, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Arizona followed suit. Demands varied from state to state but included funding sources for education, pension issues, increased pay.

Strikes by State

Colorado

Despite being explicitly allowed, Colorado had no teacher's strikes between 1994 and 2018. Pueblo Education Association went on strike May 2, 2018 asking for a 2% raise and $30 per a month for health insurance.[5] The Denver Classroom Teachers Association, the largest teachers union in the state, went on strike in February 2019 over low pay, and issues around an unpredictable and unjust compensation model.[6]

List of Modern Colorado Teacher Strikes!Date!District!Length of Strike!Median Teacher Salary Year of Strike!Spending per Student!Number of Teachers in District Year of Strike!Primary Point of Contention
1994Denver Public Schools[7] 5 days~3,700 (2,200 on strike) [8] Classroom size
2018, May 2Pueblo City Schools5 days $47,617Cost of Living Raise
2018, April Statewide (10 districts)1 day walk-out rally$52,728Cost of Living Raise and adjustments to state retirement program (PERA)
2019, February 11Denver Public Schools3 daysCost of Living Raise, Ending unpredictable compensation model tied to test scores and evaluations.
2019, OctoberPark County School District RE-28 days40Cost of Living Raise and Collective Bargaining Agreement[9]

Illinois

See main article: 2019 Chicago Public Schools Strike. A strike of Chicago Public School teachers that occurred in 2019 was significant enough to garner support from national politicians.[10]

Illinois holds the record for the longest teachers' strike to date. This was an eight month strike beginning in October 1986 in Homer, IL.[11] After roughly one month, the school board hired strike breaking substitutes for much of the school year.[12]

New Jersey

Long Branch teachers and staff struck from October 22, 1974,[13] until November 3, 1974.[14]

Ohio

Ohio holds the record for the second longest teachers' strike, which lasted for 85 days in 1981.[15]

Oregon

The 2023 Portland Association of Teachers strike was the first teacher strike in district history.[16] The strike involved teachers and other PAT members at Portland Public Schools, the largest school district in Oregon. The strike began on November 1, 2023 and ended November 26, 2023.[17] [18]

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania explicitly allows teachers to strike. However, since 1992 state act 88 gives the Pennsylvania Department of Education the power to order teachers to return to work to ensure that students still receive 180 days of instruction. This has subsequently reduced the frequency of teacher strikes in Pennsylvania, although the state still leads the nation in strikes.[19] Between 2000 and 2007, Pennsylvania accounted for 60% of teacher strikes nationwide.[20] [21] 2010 saw 3 strikes, while 2011 had one strike. Between 1968 and 2012 Pennsylvania has had 740 teacher strikes. A major cause of strikes in Pennsylvania is that contracts are frequently allowed to lapse for several years before the school board and teachers union can come to a new agreement.[22]

Partial list of modern Pennsylvania Teacher Strikes!Date!District!Length of Strike!Last Contract!Median Teacher Salary Year of Strike[23] !Spending per Student!Number of Teachers in District Year of Strike!Primary Point of Contention
2009Crestwood School District[24] [25] 5 days - Support Staff Only8 years before strike$58,205 ($35,032 to $96,820)[26] 160
2010Bethel Park School District
2012Neshaminy School District5 years before strike
2012Neshaminy School District5 years before strike
2013Wyoming Area School District [27] 23 days2010
2013Old Forge School District2010
2013August 2011
2014Wyoming Area School District1 day2010
2014Danville Area School District[28] 5 daysJune 2012
2014Millville Area School District[29] [30] 27 days3 years before strike
2014East Allegheny School District[31] [32] 16 daysJune 2012
2014Old Forge School District
2015Peters Township School District
2015Scranton School District11 days
2015Line Mountain School District
2015Millville Area School District4 days3 years before strike
2016Montrose Area School District$66,018$18,024
2016, April 12Sayre Area School District[33] 10 days3 years before strike$70,129$17,62077Healthcare and salary[34]
2016, January 20Shamokin Area School District[35] 3 years before strike$43,556$12,020154Low starting salary
2016Highlands School District$68,012$16,796
2016, April 18Athens Area School District[36] 2 daysAugust 2013$67,409$18,310147Retiree healthcare benefits[37]
2021, Feb 1Keystone Oaks School District[38] 10 daysJune 2020Wage freeze
2021, Sept 13Redbank Valley School District[39] 27 days2.5 years before strike$65,053 (2020)$15,946 (2019)77Health benefits, 2 year salary freeze
2021, November 2Scranton School District[40] 12 days4 years before strike$61,989 (2020)$16,629 (2019)800Healthcare and salary [41]

West Virginia

The West Virginia statewide educator walkout in 2018 began the Red for Ed movement.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lee. Jaeah. Liebelson. Dana. Map: Wave of New Teacher Strikes Hits Illinois. 2021-12-03. Mother Jones. en-US.
  2. Book: Murphy, Marjorie. Blackboard unions: the AFT and the NEA, 1900-1980. 1992. Cornell University Press. 2027/heb.04395. 978-0-8014-8076-8. en.
  3. Web site: Regulation of Public Sector Collective Bargaining in the States. December 3, 2021.
  4. News: Teacher Strikes: 4 Common Questions. Education Week. 13 March 2018 . December 3, 2021.
  5. Web site: Teachers in Pueblo, Colorado vow to strike for 'as long as it takes'. 2021-12-03. NBC News. 9 May 2018 . en.
  6. Web site: 2020-02-09 . One year after Denver's historic teacher strike, what did the walkout accomplish? . 2022-08-17 . The Denver Post . en-US.
  7. Web site: 2019-01-16. Retired teacher recalls "chaos" of Denver Public Schools' 5-day strike in 1994. 2021-12-03. The Denver Post. en-US.
  8. News: Associated Press. 1994-10-16. School Strike Is Settled in Denver. en-US. The New York Times. 2021-12-03. 0362-4331.
  9. Web site: 2019-10-24 . Teachers in Park County end strike without pay raises, contract . 2022-08-17 . Chalkbeat Colorado . en.
  10. News: Smith . Mitch . 2019-10-22 . National Democrats Signal Support as Chicago Teachers' Strike Stretches On . en-US . The New York Times . 2022-07-01 . 0362-4331.
  11. Web site: Notable Past Teachers' Strikes: 1986-1987 Strike In Downstate Homer Lasted 8 Months . 2022-10-13 . www.cbsnews.com . 16 October 2019 . en-US.
  12. Web site: Mabry. Tim Mitchell tmitchel@news-gazette com By Rebecca. Two decades later, Homer teachers' strike still sore subject. 2021-12-13. The News-Gazette. 12 November 2006 . en.
  13. News: TEACHERS STRIKE IN LONG BRANCH; 6 of 10 Schools Are Closed in Pay Raise Dispute . en . The New York Times . 2023-11-15.
  14. Web site: February 7, 1977 . Long Branch Bd. of Educ. v. Ass'n of Long Branch Educ. Secs. & Clerks, Inc. . November 15, 2023 . New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission.
  15. Web site: Ravenna, Ohio, Teachers' Strike - Ohio History Central. 2021-12-13. ohiohistorycentral.org.
  16. Web site: November 2, 2023 . In Oregon, public school teachers are on strike in Portland . November 15, 2023 . NPR.
  17. Web site: Portland teachers strike continues Monday, gives new meaning to 'No School November' . 2023-11-13 . opb . en.
  18. Web site: 2023-11-27 . Portland Teachers’ Union and School District Sign a Deal . 2024-03-10 . Willamette Week . en.
  19. Web site: School Districts, Teachers, at a Loss for Solution to Labor Strikes.
  20. Web site: Strike-Free School Year.
  21. News: Mary Niederberger., Laws, tax limits hinder negotiations, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, September 5, 2013.
  22. Web site: CommonwealthFoundation.org. 4 Facts on Pennsylvania Teacher Strikes. 2021-12-03. Commonwealth Foundation. 13 April 2018 . en.
  23. Web site: Open PA Gov - School Payroll. 2021-12-03. www.openpagov.org.
  24. Web site: Workers Struggles: The Americas. 2021-12-03. World Socialist Web Site. 27 May 2009 . en.
  25. Web site: Leader. Times. 2015-06-20. UPDATE: Crestwood schools will stay open during support staff strike. 2021-12-03. Times Leader. en-US.
  26. Web site: 2010-11-19 . Archived . 2023-04-20 . www.openpagov.org . https://web.archive.org/web/20101119134801/http://www.openpagov.org/k12_payroll.asp . 19 November 2010 .
  27. Web site: April 15, 2014. Wyoming Area School Board Rejects Arbitrator's Decision; Teachers On Strike. 2021-12-03. wnep.com. en-US.
  28. Web site: Item. Robert StonebackThe Daily. Picketing begins at four Danville schools. 2021-12-03. The Daily Item. 18 April 2014 . en.
  29. Web site: August 20, 2014. Millville Area Teachers go on Strike. 2021-12-03. wnep.com. en-US.
  30. Web site: April 6, 2015. Millville Area Teachers Strike. 2021-12-03. wnep.com. en-US.
  31. Web site: Hazen. Bob. 2014-09-03. East Allegheny teachers on strike. 2021-12-03. WTAE. en.
  32. Web site: 2014-09-24. East Allegheny students return to class after strike. 2021-12-03. WPXI. en.
  33. Web site: Wilson. Lois. Sayre teachers ordered to return to classrooms. 2021-12-03. Star-Gazette. en-US.
  34. Web site: 2016-04-12. Sayre Teachers On Strike. 2021-12-03. WETM - MyTwinTiers.com. en-US.
  35. Web site: January 20, 2016. Shamokin Area Teachers Strike Again. 2021-12-03. wnep.com. en-US.
  36. Web site: April 18, 2016. Teachers in Athens Area School District on Strike. 2021-12-03. wnep.com. en-US.
  37. Web site: Athens Area School District Teachers On Strike. 2021-12-03. www.wicz.com. en.
  38. Web site: Keystone Oaks teachers set to end work stoppage despite no contract agreement. 2021-12-13. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. en.
  39. Web site: Writer. EVANNE GAREIS L.-V. Staff. BACK TO SCHOOL: Redbank considers new health plan as strike comes to an end. 2021-12-13. The Courier Express. 19 October 2021 . en.
  40. Web site: Scranton Teachers Reach Tentative Deal.
  41. Web site: Scranton Teachers Poised to Strike After Talks Go Nowhere.

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