• 04
  • January
    2012

Unions have long been part of Colorado's public schools. Approximately one-quarter of the state's 178 school districts currently have collective bargaining agreements with the Colorado Education Association, the state's teacher's union.

A recent Denver Post investigation has brought these agreements under fire. It showed that the state's 20 largest school districts are paying teachers more than $5.8 million each year to engage in union-related activities.

The money is used to cover expenses as large as union leaders' salaries and as small as a leave day to attend a union conference.

Critics say that taxpayer dollars should not be spent on non-teaching activities, especially at a time when the state's education budget is in dire distress.

However, union leaders counter that the money spent on union activities does benefit children. They say that union activities are an integral part of creating a strong public education system. Further, they note that many other states have similar agreements with their public employees unions.

Unions Are Becoming Increasingly Controversial

Although the debate is, on first glance, a simple argument about dollars and cents, it centers around a much more prominent issue - what role do unions play in the changing American economy?

Labor unions have long been used as a way to protect employee rights, promote safe working conditions and ensure fair pay and benefits. The union is in a better place to negotiate, especially with large employers, than an individual person would be.

Unions can be especially helpful to public-sector employees. Public-sector jobs - like teachers, police and firefighters - are often affected by legislative decision-making. It is much more effective for the Union to negotiate and lobby on behalf of these employees. Large organizations hold much more sway than individual citizens ever will.

However, some people think unions have become too powerful and are unnecessary in the modern economy. They believe that market forces will generally cause employers to treat employees fairly.

It remains to be seen what effect the Denver Post investigation will have on Colorado's public-sector unions. They likely won't be abolished, but teachers may see new restrictions on union activities.

Source: Denver Post, "Colorado Teachers Unions Under Fire for Taxpayer Subsidies From School Districts," Karen E. Crummy, Dec. 19, 2011