Teacher strikes are not common, but when they do occur, they can disrupt learning for many students. As a result, school districts and policy makers must walk a fine line: supporting teachers while also making sure that educational services are not interrupted.
In the wake of the recent Red for Ed movements, teachers across the country are organizing and calling for action. They’re fighting to address a wide range of issues, from salary increases to smaller class sizes and more support staff to socially minded initiatives such as legal support for immigrant students.
Most teacher strikes are local and focused on the terms of their district’s bargaining agreement, but every now and then teachers in all or part of a state come together to strike for broader goals. One year ago in Columbus, Ohio, for example, a striking teachers union won smaller class sizes, funding to add air conditioning to classrooms (teachers and students were literally dripping with sweat on their desks), and more.
Analyzing these strikes, researchers have found that 89 percent of them are motivated by concerns about teacher pay and benefits, while over half of them are seeking to improve working conditions in their schools. The remaining 10 percent of strikes seek to raise larger, more political issues unrelated to education, including housing and immigration policy. These findings show that strikes are a powerful tool in the fight for equitable and effective public education. They can be a reminder to politicians that education isn’t just about preparing students for the workforce but about ensuring that every child has access to an essential service.