For teachers, strikes are more than just a negotiation tool in a complex dual-actor collective bargaining process. They’re also a public signal in a contested policy arena, communicating to the public and politicians that education needs change.
Most teacher strikes focus on local issues specific to a district’s contract, like wages, health insurance costs and planning time. But occasionally, teachers across a state or even an entire region walk out to protest broader, sometimes national issues. This is called a “statewide” strike. A statewide strike typically involves a larger pool of educators who are more likely to be able to coordinate and participate in a walkout.
In recent years, a growing number of teacher unions have also embraced what they call “bargaining for the common good,” seeking to address broader societal concerns. This can include anything from air conditioning in schools to affordable housing for students and their families. For instance, when teachers in Columbus went on strike earlier this year, their top priorities weren’t pay but class sizes and access to art and music classes.
The study authors analyzed 772 teacher strikes and found that, in nine out of 10 cases (89 percent), teachers were striking to seek higher pay. They also found that strikes increased teacher salaries by an average of 8 percent, with increases sustained for five years after the strike. They also improved working conditions, causing student-teacher ratios to decrease by half a student on average and increasing spending on non-teacher staff by about 7 percent in those 3-5 years. However, these salary and working condition improvements came primarily from new money to districts from states, rather than through reallocation of existing district funds or local tax hikes.
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