Why Detroit educators rely on their unions, long after contract negotiations are done

When we talk about labor unions, the focus is often on conflict, contract negotiations and strikes.

It’s true that unions exist to bring collective power to bear in the workplace. Members want to know that if push comes to shove, the union will have their back.

“I think it’s important to make sure teacher’s rights are not exploited,” said Leslee Przygodski, a veteran teacher and former union representative at Clippert Multicultural Magnet Honors Academy in Detroit. “People like to exploit people, and a lot of (district leaders) do without realizing it.”

But members of unions like the Detroit Federation of Teachers (DFT) and Wayne Academic Union (WAU) at Wayne State University also prioritize creating community among educators. The DFT represents roughly 4,500 people , from attendance agents to teachers and school-based social workers. Another 1,700 faculty and academic staff like teaching assistants and professors belong to WAU.

One national study has found educator collaboration can reduce teacher turnover, especially in schools with fewer resources, and that unions are vital in the fostering of a sense of community and collaboration. That’s important for educators in Detroit, who work for a public school district in a city where schools need to provide more stability and resources than in more affluent areas. Almost half the children in Detroit live in households under the poverty line .

Thirkell Elementary-Middle School teacher Emma Howland-Bolton said having a union community helped her avoid burn-out early in her career.

“Having that union representation, that community, was so important for me as a new teacher, to finally be connected with some veteran educators,” said Howland-Bolton, who serves on the union committee and helps organize member events.

Howland-Bolton said even when she’s in a “hard season,” connecting other teachers reminds her that she’s going to get through it.

Teachers and professors in education labor unions in Detroit agree parent and community involvement in schools is low. Union members believe it’s part of their jobs to advocate for students and what they believe are better resources for them.

For example, at Detroit Public Schools Community District board meetings this spring, Howland-Bolton and other unionized Thirkell staff claimed former principal Stephanie Gaines created a hostile work environment and failed to give students recess. The district did not agree with many of their claims, but Gaines was transferred after a 30-day suspension .

“In our district, there are a few adults who (act) more important than all the kids, like their feelings and their egos and their pay is more important than everybody else,” Howland-Bolton said. “It’s very backwards. We exist to serve students and society. We don’t actually exist to serve the board or these few central-office higher-ups. Everything else is secondary.”

At Wayne State, WAU members publicly supported students after university police cleared a pro-Palestinian encampment in May.

Assistant professor of social work Kess Ballentine said it’s important for educators to protect students and their right to protest , especially on a college campus. But constant advocacy is difficult and tiring , making support by the union crucial for its members.

“We have common cause with parents and students and community stakeholders,” Howland-Bolton said. “We should be making spaces where the union is listening to those people … that’s a critical element of making change happen.”

The union is currently trying to negotiate for a new contract.

Working in K-12 education in Detroit comes with some challenges, like recent budget cuts and enrollment decline , that can affect job security and educational quality.

The DFT’s new two-year contract that includes job security measures and a $2,000 retention bonus for each teacher annually.

Job security in higher education is also precarious. A recent American Federation of Teachers study found that 68% of university faculty are not eligible for permanent, tenured employment and another 48% hold part-time positions that depend on factors like enrollment or funding.

Ballentine said unions give academic staff a sense of security and professional camaraderie during difficult times.

“It was part of the deciding factor of why I came to Wayne State,” Ballentine said of WAU, where she’s the acting president. “Because more and more, faculty members, just like every other labor sector, have lost power. We’re getting lower raises. We’re getting more people who have precarious working conditions.”

Resolving conflict, protecting rights

Workers nationwide are more burned-out, exhausted and on edge since 2020 , and human resources professionals believe they are more resistant to organizational changes . This opens the door for more conflict: More than 44 million workers quit their jobs in 2023 , and 3.4 million quit in January 2024 alone.

The main role of academic unions is to resolve conflict in the best interest of its members. The DFT and WAU often have union representatives sit in when the discipline or job security of a member is on the line to make sure members understand their contractual rights.

Ballentine said unions act as negotiators between employees and employers, and try to ensure due process for its members to keep things fair without enabling what she calls “bad actors.”

“We’re not going to throw as many resources behind that person,” Ballentine said. “We’re a collective. We don’t want to work with people who are bad actors anymore than anyone else.”

Joining a union isn’t for everyone . People oppose them because they fear retaliation from management, don’t want to pay dues or prioritize their personal ability to negotiate. It’s also not the only way to create community in education spaces.

But Ballentine believes advocacy and protections against unfair labor treatment outweighs any cons to being in a union.

“I do feel good about being a teacher, for sure,” she said. “But the reality is the university exists largely to make money off people. … We’re part of the world, we’re part of the economy, we’re part of the community, and we’re facing a lot of the same challenges.

“The sooner people realize that, the better.”

Why Detroit educators rely on their unions, long after contract negotiations are done · Outlier Media