1. A Vision for Comprehensive UnionismThe purpose of a union is to be a vehicle for meeting the needs, interests, and aspirations of its members. By organizing and banding together, the union’s strength in numbers provides more power and effectiveness beyond what individuals could accomplish themselves. These materials have been developed to provide greater understanding of the 3 Frames of Comprehensive Unionism and organizing activities to strengthen and expand the work of the union.
An article, "A Vision for Comprehensive Teacher Unionism" describes a pathway for union leaders that can assist them in developing a strong, integrated approach to addressing the needs of their members, students and communities. The author, Jo Anderson, Jr. served as Senior Advisor to the U.S. Department of Education under Arne Duncan from 2009-2014. Prior to that he served as Executive Director of the Illinois Education Association-NEA from 2005-2009. In 1987, he founded the Consortium for Educational Change (CEC) a non-profit organization that uses continuous improvement practices and supports education leaders in developing deep collaborative partnerships to engage stakeholder voice to deepen student learning. The attached article provides a view toward developing strong, effective unions that integrated these approaches.
Additional materials are provided to describe the three frames of comprehensive unionism - focusing on ensuring that the traditional issues of fair wages, benefits and working conditions are met, while also advocating for high quality professional practices that engage students deeply in their learning and organizing around social justice issues that impact the health and well-being of students, families and communities.
And, an organizing agenda to assist union leaders in introducing the concept of the Three Frames of Comprehensive Unionism as well as assess the interests, values and beliefs of their members as an organizing activity is also provided.