Charter School Teachers Join AFT

by James Parks, Jan 14, 2009

Teachers at a New York City public charter school now have a stronger voice in their workplace after they joined the United Federation of Teachers/AFT (UFT). The teachers at Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) Amp, a middle school in Brooklyn, say they want a stronger voice on the job because the demands on them are so rigorous. They also say they want to insure a fair discipline and evaluation system.

Nearly three-quarters of the 22 workers signed union-authorization cards to be represented by UFT. What makes the KIPP teachers’ decision significant is that the employer is a major player in the national charter school movement, which is almost all nonunion. KIPP has 66 schools in 19 states and the District of Columbia.

Says KIPP Amp teacher Emily Fernandez:

For us, unionization is ultimately all about student achievement and the ability of teachers to best serve students at this crucial middle school time in their education.

AFT President Randi Weingarten says the KIPP teachers want what every employee wants.

KIPP teachers want what all good teachers want—the respect, the support and the tools necessary to do the best possible job of educating their students. Organizing into a union of educational professionals will give them the collective voice and support to make that happen.

The teachers were able to form a union because city law requires the schools to recognize a union if a majority of workers sign authorization cards. If Congress passes the Employee Free Choice Act, that freedom to choose will be extended to all workers.

KIPP Amp teacher Leila Chakravarty says joining a union is necessary to stem the high faculty turnover and “build a sustainable community in our school.”

Weingarten adds:

We know that teacher turnover is a major concern across the charter school movement. The unionization of KIPP’s New York City schools provides a unique opportunity to create a model of sustainable teacher recruitment, development and retention.

Print This Article | E-Mail This Article |Comments (1)