69ý

School & District Management

Teachers’ Unions in New York State Take Steps to Merge

By Linda Jacobson — January 04, 2005 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

Another pair of teachers’ unions has taken preliminary steps to unify—this time in New York state.

Leaders of New York State United Teachers met last month to talk about a possible merger with the National Education Association of New York, but no decision was made, according to Dennis Tompkins, a spokesman for NYSUT.

“A number of issues are still to be resolved,” Mr. Tompkins said. The board of directors of the American Federation of Teachers affiliate plans to take up the matter again when it meets later this month.

The NEA of New York’s board of directors overwhelmingly approved—in a 51-6 vote in November—a document that outlines the principles of a merger between the two state affiliates.

That document, “Fundamental Beliefs to Create a Single State Union,” is the result of several months of work involving leaders of the two state unions.

The issue will now go before the NEA affiliate’s delegate assembly, which will convene in April. NYSUT ’s representative assembly will also be held that month.

Member Benefits

If the proposal gains approval from the NYSUT board—and from the representatives of both unions—a constitution and bylaws will be written. The new organization would begin working in 2006.

A press release from the NEA of New York says that the board members’ decision was largely based on the benefits that unification with NYSUT would bring to the members, such as additional services, lower dues, and more clout with the state legislature and the state education department.

Also, according to the “beliefs” document, no staff members would be laid off if the merger went through, and NEA of New York members would still be served by their local UniServ representatives, who advocate for teachers if issues with their districts surface.

The idea of a single statewide union first received support in 2003, when members of the NEA affiliate indicated 3-1 in a survey that they were in favor of the merger.

The NEA of New York has roughly 400,000 members in more than 240 affiliates across the state. NYSUT has about 500,000 members, 140,000 of them in New York City.

Although a merger between the two national teachers’ unions failed in 1998, mergers have taken place at the state level. In 1998, the NEA and AFT affiliates in Minnesota unified into Education Minnesota.

And in 2000, the Florida Education Association was established, and the two union affiliates merged in Montana.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the January 05, 2005 edition of Education Week as Teachers’ Unions in New York State Take Steps to Merge

Events

School & District Management Webinar Crafting Outcomes-Based Contracts That Work for Everyone
Discover the power of outcomes-based contracts and how they can drive student achievement.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Harnessing AI to Address Chronic Absenteeism in 69ý
Learn how AI can help your district improve student attendance and boost academic outcomes.
Content provided by 
School & District Management Webinar EdMarketer Quick Hit: What’s Trending among K-12 Leaders?
What issues are keeping K-12 leaders up at night? Join us for EdMarketer Quick Hit: What’s Trending among K-12 Leaders?

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

School & District Management 69ý Want Results When They Spend Big Money. Here's How They're Getting Them
Tying spending to outcomes is a goal many district leaders have. A new model for purchase contracts could make it easier.
7 min read
Illustration of scales balancing books on one end and coins on another.
iStock/Getty
School & District Management Reports Strategic Resourcing for K-12 Education: A Work in Progress
This report highlights key findings from surveys of K-12 administrators and product/service providers to shed light on the alignment of purchasing with instructional goals.
School & District Management Download Shhhh!!! It's Underground Spirit Week, Don't Tell the 69ý
Try this fun twist on the Spirit Week tradition.
Illustration of shushing emoji.
iStock/Getty
School & District Management Opinion How My Experience With Linda McMahon Can Help You Navigate the Trump Ed. Agenda
I have a lesson for district leaders from my (limited) interactions with Trump’s pick for ed. secretary, writes a former superintendent.
Joshua P. Starr
4 min read
Vector illustration of people walking on upward arrows, symbolizing growth, progress, and teamwork towards success.
iStock/Getty Images