To Join A Teachers Union Or Not: What You Should Know
When you become a public school teacher, one of the many things you will have to consider is whether or not to join a teachers union. There are many benefits and costs to consider when thinking about becoming a unionized teacher, and this issue is complicated in many ways by legal issues and language that revolve around education employee unions. So, before you decide one way or the other whether or not to join your local teachers union, get to know some of the factors that affect teacher's unions and the benefits a union membership may be able to give you.
Legal Services If Sued
Teachers are public employees who deal with people's children on a daily basis. Whether a person is the best teacher in the world or one of the worst, there is always a chance that a parent who is unhappy with their child's grades, performance, or other issues regarding school will sue a teacher for their supposed part in those issues.
Being the member of a teachers union will give a teacher access to a full law firm or legal team that can come to their aid in such times, at no additional cost to the teacher. If a non-unionized teacher is sued and it goes to court, they will be responsible for finding and paying for a lawyer from a law firm that can handle such cases. This can be financially devastating to a teacher on a limited budget.
Assistance With Contractual or Administrative Issues
When a teacher feels as if they are being negatively targeted by administration in their school or that their rights based on the contract they signed are being violated in some way, they can often feel as if there is nothing that they can do about it. However, if they are a member of a teachers union, they have more options.
Once again, the law firm or legal team that is hired by a teachers union can help to ensure that the teacher in question is being treated fairly. Additionally, representatives from the teachers union who are officials in the union, as well as lawyers, can sit in on any meetings between the teacher and administration to ensure that all exchanges are professional, and that the teacher is being treated with the respect and professional courtesy they are entitled.
While many people wonder whether or not paying dues for teachers union membership is worth it, the legal protections it provides and the assistance available for common issues that teachers may have with administration or their contract make membership worth the cost. So, keep these factors in mind when you are deciding whether or not to be a part of a teachers union.
To learn more, contact a law firm like Stuart Simon Law Firm.