Understanding Collective Bargaining

#1. Improved student learning and teacher working conditions.  

Educators’ working conditions are students’ learning conditions. By addressing school and classroom issues, everyone wins.  

In negotiations, educators and their employers collaborate on student-centered issues such as setting limits on class size, identifying time for teachers and paraeducators to share effective classroom practices, addressing school health and safety issues, and ensuring teacher input into their own professional learning—all of which help students thrive. 

#2. Attract and retain the highest quality employees.  

Although the educator shortage was an issue before the pandemic, many school districts are experiencing severe shortages as never before.  

Experts like the Learning Policy Institute and the Economic Policy Institute note that low pay, poor working conditions, and lack of support for new teachers all play a role in exacerbating the educator shortage.  

NEA affiliates, working with school districts and harnessing their members’ input, win for higher pay and improved and safe working conditions, as well as strong mentoring and induction programs for their members.  

#3. Advance social justice and racial equity. 

NEA affiliates' bargaining has evolved in recent years to have a stronger community focus. Many NEA locals and their employers have opened the negotiation process to include community partners and parents, who develop proposals together to gain critical resources for students and schools.  

In many communities, educators, parents, and community allies have come together with the realization that unless they unite to address systemic racism head on, we can never live up to our belief that every student deserves to succeed no matter where they live or how much money their families have.