Although teacher unions promote private means of resolving labor conflicts instead of using public courts, they are engaged in a war on privatization, especially contracting out. It is surprising that the media and higher education take seriously the contention that unions do not negatively affect educational achievement. Advocates of "the new…

A condensation of a paper presented at a Phi Delta Kappa-Temple University Symposiu.

Enormous improvements in education may well be possible if recommendations to reduce the amount of time teenagers spend in school are adopted, but the changes cannot be effected without basic changes in other institutions, especially the economy. (Author/IRT)

Criticizes a federally funded Rand Corporation study ("Organized Teachers in American Schools") for being naive and biased and for not being true research. (IRT)

The author gives a brief account of the American Federation of Teachers annual convention. (IRT)

To compensate for the inherent advantages of public employment, public employees should have representational rights that are different from, and significantly less than, private sector bargaining rights. (Author/IRT)

Critiques Chester Finn's analysis (EA 518 431, this issue) of teachers unions, outlining the ambiguities in Finn's theories. (MD)

Urges creation of national certification boards in several educational fields to justify highly qualified elementary and secondary teachers who could then be eligible for higher pay. Cites arguments against merit pay, explains how certification boards would defuse union opposition, and examines drawbacks in recent federal efforts to encourage…

Formulating and enforcing a code of ethics are characteristics of professional occupations. Such a code has not emerged, and never will, so long as collective bargaining is the dominant employment relations form in education. Unions formed to protect their members cannot accept the "management" responsibility for disciplining unethical behavior.…

Discusses the ramifications of privatization (the withdrawal of government as the creator and provider of services) for public education. Includes discussion of vouchers and of privatization of instructional services through the contracting of instructional services from private organizations. (MD)

Argues that public sector collective bargaining is inconsistent with democratic government and has contributed to the erosion of public support for public education. Predicts the demise of public sector bargaining in the next 20 years. (Author/WD)