List of Pros and Cons of Teachers Unions
In the early era of capitalistic society, countries ran their economies without any sympathy or awareness for their competitors. Aside from competitors, the society was also heartless towards the worker. As workers were sick of abuse and being exploited, they eventually formed unions. Unions allowed workers to collectively bargain, and this was very important because it was how they would be able to negotiate and get better quality of work from their superiors. In the modern era, unions eventually sprang up for all different kinds of industries. Whether it was dock workers, mechanics, or teachers, unions were an important part of preventing exploitation. For teachers, unions are especially controversial because there are debates over whether or not these unions really help or whether they perpetuate bad educational standards.
List of Pros of Teachers Unions
1. Protects Teachers
The main reason these unions are good is for the fact that they protect teachers. Teachers have a very difficult job. Unions ensure they can carry out their necessary work without any threat of being kicked out of their positions. One of the biggest reasons why teachers unions help teachers is the feature of tenure. Tenure is something very unique to the teaching profession, essentially, tenure protects teachers from ever getting fired after a certain amount of time.
2. Keeps Teachers Unified
Another reason why unions are so critical is the fact that they keep teachers unified. because teachers are responsible for educating our nation’s children, it’s very critical that they stay unified. If our teachers and the education system as a whole is divided, it can threaten how effectively these individuals are able to do their jobs. When they’re divided, they won’t be able to focus on the curriculum, which if the most important aspect of being a teacher.
List of Cons of Teachers Unions
1. Prevent Quality Control
The main reason why teachers unions are a problem is the fact that they promote bad levels of quality control. This is a big problem because if there are bad teachers, they can’t be fired. Unions blindly defend their colleagues, and with teachers unions, they are especially virulent in their defense for one another.
2. Turn Education into a Business
Education should be purely about teaching rather than worrying about money. Unions often prevent education from being the primary objective, and instead, turn the system into a tug-of-war between teachers and educational administrators.
Overall, there are many pros and cons to this policy, but as a whole, it’s important to consider the consequences before implementing unions, whether they be for teachers or any other industry.