ORGANIZING A LOCAL TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION

Getting Organized

Any number of teachers at a charter school can form a local teachers union.  However, in order to organize a local teachers’ association  that is recognized as the “exclusive representative” a simple majority of the teachers at the school must agree that they want to be represented by the union.   At this time, teachers also will elect officers and determine how they wish to govern their affairs as a union.

CTA organizers will assist local teachers interested in this process.  Usually this process involves meetings with teachers at the school to answer questions and help with the process of organizing a union.

Once a union is formed and recognized the local teachers can then begin the process of bargaining a first contract, advocating for members, and other activities to support individual teachers in their classrooms.

If you think you might be interested in forming a local teachers union, or just want to get more information, contact one of our organizers.  Simply go click on the “contact an organizer” button in the left margin, click your county, and the contact information for the organizer in your area will pop up.

                                     Teachers at L.A. Leadership Academy Organize

Overview

One ingredient to the long term success of Charter Schools will be due to the fact that charter schools teachers have formed  progressive local unions and are able to successfully achieve working conditions that will allow excellent teachers to maintain long careers at their charter schools school, allowing them to forge meaningful relationships with our students and their families. 

Charter School teachers are afforded the right to organize local teachers associations under the Charter Schools Act and the Education Employees Relations Act.   Once organized, the local association can then act as the democratic voice of the teachers in bargaining contracts, advocating for better teaching and learning conditions, and on behalf of individual members.  Organized local associations are afforded protections and benefits under the law allowing teachers to act as a single voice with their employer.

CTA encourages participatory and democratic local unions.   CTA also provides significant support and assistance from professional staff that are expert in negotiations, organizing, and legal matters.  CTA is the only union in the nation that has four professional staff organizers and negotiators exclusively working to support charter school teachers.

CTA is the state's largest representative of education employees. It exists primarily to protect and advance the professional and economic interests of its members. CTA works for better working conditions, higher salaries, improved health benefits, progressive personnel policies and an affordable and dignified retirement.

CTA represents more than 335,000 employees of California schools, colleges and universities. The continued membership and support of those we represent helps us to articulate a broad range of individual concerns and gives us the clout to deal with those who influence public policy.

Benefits of Membership

The biggest benefit of membership is when local teachers form a local association. 

When teachers participate and speak with one voice they can have a significant impact on improving the working conditions at their school.  In recent months, organized charter school teachers have been able to secure a several progressive employment rights commonly denied to charter teachers such as due process for members, elimination of “at-will” contracts, binding arbitration of disputes, and health benefits that cannot be unilaterally changed at any time.

CTA members also enjoy a broad range of individual and collective benefits.  Membership includes a one million dollar professional liability policy and access to legal representation for work related matters.  Individually members can also access group discounted programs that include income protection for long term disabilities, insurance, and other valuable resources.    For detailed information on these and other economic benefits go to http://www.cta.org/MemberBenefits/Welcome.htm.