Collective Bargaining

Change Magazine: “Three Union Leaders Talk about Academic Future”

jruss — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:55:31 -0400

This transcript is from an interview conducted for Change Magazine. John Ryor was president of the NEA and Dr. Osborne was director of collective bargaining for the AAUP. The interview was conducted by the editor in chief of Change Magazine, G. W. Bonham. The interview covers all aspects of collective bargaining and unionism in higher education and the political power of the three teacher unions.

Collective Bargaining and the New Status of Education

jhelpap — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 12:07:40 -0400

In this speech, Cogen explains how collective bargaining is raising the economic, as well as the professional status of the teacher and is thereby shifting the focus in education back to the children in the classroom.

Commonwealth Magazine: “What Schools Should—and Shouldn't—Learn From Markets”

jruss — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:49:41 -0500

In this article from the Commonwealth Club of California's publication, Al Shanker discusses the need for schools to develop incentive systems that work to motivate both students and teachers. He sees lessons in corporate capitalism and in foreign education systems. He argues that gaining entrance into college should be more difficult and that employers should consider high school performance in hiring decisions. This would encourage students to work harder. read more »

Compass Interview

jruss — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:44:58 -0500

Excerpts from an interview with Al Shanker are reproduced here. He comments on a variety of educational issues including school vouchers, tuition tax credits, employment offices that indirectly encourage high school drop-outs, teachers' unions, the creation of a separate federal Department of Education, and privatization of education.

Empire State Federation of Teachers

jhelpap — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 11:56:00 -0400

In this speech, Cogen talks about how the collective bargaining experience in New York City has changed the outlook of education all over the country.

Institute for Educational Policy Studies: “Teacher Unions: Past, Present and Future Influence”

jruss — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 14:21:18 -0500

Al Shanker discusses the history and development of teachers' unions in the United States. He traces the changing focus of teachers' unions from collective bargaining to larger questions of education policy to an expanded approach to politics. Shanker argues that teachers should pay attention to energy, trade, and commerce policies, for instance, because these policies affect the taxes which fund the public schools. Shanker believes that interest and involvement in the larger political picture will help put teachers in a position to enhance public opinion of education. read more »

Interview with Ed Muzik

jruss — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 14:19:08 -0500

The interviewer, Ed Muzik, first asks Al Shanker to discuss his background. Shanker gives a brief biography and then goes into the organization of the AFT, citing the benefits of unionization to the teachers. In addition to concrete benefits such as wage increases and breaks from work, Shanker discusses the benefits of professionalization that unionizing gave teachers. Muzik then asks Shanker about the unionization of higher education professionals. Shanker challenges various concerns to organizing by higher education workers such as a feared loss of academic freedom. read more »

New Areas of Collective Bargaining and the Public Interest

jhelpap — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 11:59:58 -0400

In this speech "New Areas of Collective Bargaining and the Public Interest; The Organization of White Collar, Technical and Professional Personnel", Cogen talks about the significance of New York City Teacher Situation and how it has affected the entire country.

Normal Collective Bargaining Procedures vs. Special Procedures for Teachers

jhelpap — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 10:37:13 -0400

Cogen expresses AFT's views on Collective Bargaining and making sure that teachers are getting all of the rights and priviledges given to any other group of Public Employees.

Remarks of Charles Cogen

jhelpap — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 12:10:22 -0400

In this speech, Cogen shares his memories from being the president of the United Federation of Teachers.

Rochester Teacher Association Leadership Conference

jruss — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:49:41 -0500

Al Shanker applauds the Rochester Teacher Association for its efforts to collaborate with school administration to reform education. He tells the members that they are embarking on new territory and that there are no easy answers he or anyone else can provide them. He compares it to the campaign to unionize teachers in the 1960s. Shanker also addresses whether collaborating with administration is really the role of a union. He asserts it is because the interests of its members are still in mind, and only teachers have the expertise to begin to tackle this problem. read more »

Statement before the Democratic Platform Committee

jruss — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 14:07:00 -0500

Al Shanker advocates that the democratic presidential candidate adopt the AFT''s program on a number of issues. The AFT''s ideas include: expanding the federal government''s role in funding education; increasing access to post-secondary education through tuition assistance; creating a system of federal daycare centers run through the public schools; providing federal financial assistance to state and local governments, especially for welfare and medical costs; and extending federal collective bargaining laws and pension protections to public employees. read more »

Statement before the Sub-Committee on Labor

jruss — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 14:17:35 -0500

Al Shanker testifies here before a sub-committee of the Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare on Federal Regulation of State and Local Public Employee Labor Relations. He comments on two proposed bills, S. 3294 and S. 3295, that would, as he says, “provide for Federal regulation of labor relations in the public sector at the state and local level.” Shanker, speaking for the AFT, strongly endorses S. 3294 and condemns S. 3295. S. read more »

Statement on Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and Related Issues

jruss — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 14:07:00 -0500

Al Shanker testifies before the Subcommittee on Elementary and Secondary Education on the reauthorization of the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Shanker supports the law''s reauthorization, but he has many suggestions for how it could be improved. His ideas address a variety of topics including financial support for disadvantaged students; bilingual education; and research funding. He also urges lawmakers to enact revisions that acknowledge the existence of collective bargaining agreements so that the law is no longer in conflict with existing labor contracts.

The Meaning of Collective Bargaining to Teachers

jhelpap — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 08:48:40 -0400

Cogen gave this speech in Detroit. Boston and Plainview. In it, he tells about the New York City collective bargaining agreement and how it drastically improved the situation and rose spirits there. He explains how other cities can be successful in the same process.

Through Teachers' Collective Bargaining with Gun and Camera

jhelpap — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 10:50:41 -0400

Selden's review of "Collective Negotiations for Teachers" by Myron Lieberman and Michael H. Moskow

Today Show with Barbara Walters

jruss — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 14:10:05 -0500

Barbara Walters interviews Al Shanker and James Harris, president of the National Education Association (NEA) about a bill under consideration in Congress that would give teachers the right to bargain collectively. Harris and Shanker answer Walters's questions, explaining what the bill, if passed, would mean in practice.

United University Professors (UUP) Bargaining Election Workshop

jruss — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 14:07:00 -0500

Al Shanker urges members of the United University Professors (UUP) of the SUNY (State University of New York) campuses to affiliate with AFT rather than with NEA. The major benefit he cites is the fact that AFT is already established in the state whereas the NEA would have to build the organization from the ground up. He discusses recent events in collective bargaining legislation, including an agency fee law in New York that greatly increased the UUP's bargaining power.