As family and friends gather this weekend, it’s important to remember that Labor Day isn’t just the unofficial end to summer. It’s an opportunity to recognize the work of unions and all that the labor movement has accomplished and continues to achieve. The fact that workers today enjoy paid holidays, weekends, and health and safety protections is due largely to the work of organized labor.
As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said in a speech to the
The labor movement was the principal force that transformed misery and despair into hope and progress. Out of its bold struggles, economic and social reform gave birth to unemployment insurance, old-age pensions, government relief for the destitute, and, above all, new wage levels that meant not mere survival but a tolerable life. The captains of industry did not lead this transformation; they resisted it until they were overcome.
Unions remain essential today as the workforce and workplace continue to evolve and face new challenges. On average, across sectors, union members earn $191 more per week than those who don’t belong to unions, have better benefits, safer workplaces, and a voice on the job without fear of retaliation.
When it comes to the teaching profession, unionized educators have higher wages, guaranteed pensions, legal representation, protections for academic freedom, and more.
The benefits of unions are felt far and wide. When teachers are supported by unions we are better able to focus on teaching and engaging students. The states that consistently rank at the top of lists of states with the best public schools are those with strong teachers’ unions.
Thanks to collective bargaining, educators can advocate for and come to agreement with our employers on student-centered issues such as setting limits on class sizes, increasing prep time, addressing school health and safety issues, and ensuring teacher input into professional learning—all of which help students thrive.
Find out more about the benefits of CEA membership and how you can get involved.
Because of our union, teachers have a voice. Our activism has improved public education for our students and our colleagues—with major changes that will be felt for decades to come.
It’s because of our union that we are stronger together.
