Teacher Union Power in Non-Bargaining States

One would expect teacher union power to be less virulent in states without a monopoly bargaining law, but as West Virginia teacher union officials demonstrate, there is still a world of power to be wielded in politics.  Of course this power pays off as union-funded politicians win office and find themselves in a position to have to “pay” back  teacher unions by doing their bidding once they are in office.  Selfish strikes, legal and illegal can happen in states without bargaining laws also, a lesson for which Mountain States students paid dearly in 2018.

Sarah Jaffe has the story in progressive.org.

Nicole McCormick . . . [became] involved with building for the strike when Jay O’Neal, another teacher from Charleston, West Virginia, reached out to her about helping him launch a Facebook group for teachers.

And now, two years later, McCormick is running for statewide union vice president, alongside O’Neal and three other members of the West Virginia United Caucus, which they created after the 2018 strike.