Teacher Unions: A foundation for present day issues

The purpose of unions was to ensure workers that their safety and well-being was viewed with a high level of importance. A lack of concern for teachers would have a large effect on society as a whole, because education is the foundation of a strong society. By placing the power directly into the hands of the workers, the the concerns of the general public were answered. The people that were in authoritative positions were passionate about the rights of their colleagues. They too were effected by any rulings that would be made, and therefore there was a sense of urgency to take care of any issues that arose. This was done by the proactive atmosphere that allowed for direct action to be taken. The NEA, or National Education Association, and the AFT, or American Federation of Teachers, were both popular support groups. The NEA was the first and largest association for educators. Both struggled after World War I, because there was a rapidly increasing number of students and not enough teachers. The AFT proposed a merger, although the differences between the two groups could not be compromised. The power in these groups was primarily held by women, until the AFT elected a male for president. This decision resulted in a decrease of focus and emphasis on the importance of feminism and women's rights. This ultimately created tension between the male and female members.