Together, we can achieve better Educator Pay & Benefits

NEA helps build collective action for competitive pay, health benefits, and retirement security so we can attract and retain the best educators for our students.

Collective Bargaining

Collective bargaining gives educators a voice. NEA members negotiate for more than their economic security—they also advocate for increased funding and the resources and opportunities their students need.

The “Bargaining for the Common Good” approach leverages collective power in new ways to build strong partnerships with parents, students, and other community stakeholders. By coming together around common values, we can bring in more public resources, reduce class size, increase student learning time, reduce unnecessary testing, and gain affordable health care for children and their families.

What is "Bargaining for the Common Good?"

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Being able to bargain collectively makes it a more personal, local experience whenever you're talking about contracts. We can speak to our members, see what the needs are, and advocate for those specific things.

Quote by: Maggie Gannon, 2nd Grade Teacher, Culpepper County, Virginia

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The Educator Pay Gap

Educators make 81 cents on the dollar compared to their professionals with similar experience and credentials. To make matters worse, this educator pay gap is growing, forcing many out of the profession and creating a teacher shortage crisis that threatens our students and communities.

The Educator Pay Gap, Explained

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Our students deserve fully funded classrooms. Our teachers and support staff need to be able to afford to do the jobs they love. Now isn’t the time to rest.

Quote by: Betty Collins, eighth grade teacher, Oklahoma

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