Teachers Call for More Freedom, Choices

Heather Lister and Joe Connolly are both Pennsylvania educators, and they couldn’t be more different.  Heather is a 25-year-old library media specialist and a registered Democrat. Joe is a veteran high school guidance counselor and a proud conservative.

On the surface, the teachers are poles apart, but there is something they agree on: Lister and Connolly both believe that labor union membership should be voluntary.

You might wonder why that’s such a big deal—don’t teachers already have a choice? The short answer is no.

In the 26 states that are not “right to work,” most public school teachers who decide not to join a union must still pay union fees—whether they want union representation or not. That’s why Commonwealth Foundation is participating in National Employee Freedom Week (August 10-16), a broad grassroots effort to inform teachers and other unionized workers of their labor rights.

We’re highlighting the stories of teachers like Heather, Joe and many others, and providing an easy step-by-step guide for teachers on how to resign from their union.  Stay tuned for more this week!