TEACHER UNION – GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF EDUCATIONAL REFORMNina Bascia & Pamela OsmondOISE – University of Toronto

PURPOSE

• To explore relatively unexplored phenomenon:• Positive, productive teacher union – government relations

• To contribute to understanding of teacher unions’ positive work in relation to educational reform• To contribute to discourse on social dialogue &

partnership• To reveal international trends• To understand cultural, political & structural influences• To consider the discursive nature of union-government

relations

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

• 4 case studies of working relationships:• Sweden, England, South Africa, Alberta Canada

• Survey reports from EI member organizations• Observations of International Summits• Available literature

REFORM CONTEXT

• Improving educational quality• Increased competition among nation-states• Economic adversity• Major reforms:• Curriculum• Assessment and inspection• Teacher education & professional learning• Changes to working conditions• Reduced funding• Privatisation

TEACHERS & UNIONS

• Teachers as targets and objects of reform• Teacher unions pressed to advocate• Fundamental tensions between governments

and unions• Policy making vs. implementation: exacerbated

differences• Often limits to purview: absence from the table• Time horizons

CASE OF SWEDEN• Culture and tradition of collaborative cooperative relations• Familiarity with individuals within Social Democrat

government• Concerns about PISA results• Centralisation• Looming teacher shortage• Seeking points of convergence:• Teacher career ladder• Changes to teacher certification

• “Raising the status of teaching”

CASE OF ENGLAND• PHASE 1: LABOUR GOVERNMENT• GOVERNMENT REFORMS; CRISIS IN WORKING CONDITIONS;

INDUSTRIAL ACTION• SOCIAL PARTNERSHIP

• BUILDING TRUST• MAKING POLICY• FOCUS ON WORKING CONDITIONS

• PHASE 2: CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENT• SHUT DOWN OF SOCIAL PARTNERSHIP• LOSS OF WAGE GUARANTEES• INSPECTION• ACADEMIES • “PROFESSIONALISM”

CASE OF SOUTH AFRICA

• After apartheid• New multiracial unions• New authority for teacher unions• New curriculum• Teacher training and professional learning• Quality of teaching & learning issues: basic

infrastructure• “Nation-building”

CASE OF ALBERTA

• PHASE 1: 1990s-2002• Hostile government, reduction in

infrastructure• ATA shapes and builds infrastructure• Reframing of discourse

• PHASE 2: 2002 onward• Partnerships• Alberta Initiative for School Improvement

(AISI)• “Increasing educational capacity”

DISCOURSES OF REFORM

• Shared discourse• Distinct discourses

MAINTAINING BALANCE

• Balancing commitment to teachers with interest in collaborative relationship• Finding common ground with government• Joining• Modifying and enhancing

• Initiating/parallel play vis a vis reform

CONCLUSIONS• “Mixed” relations in the context of reform• Fragility• Structure vs. personal relationships• Value of collaborative, cooperative relationships

RECOMMENDATIONS• Recognizing the value of cooperative relations• Minimizing harm, shaping educational practice, counterweight to

neo-liberal reform• Improving implementation, building infrastructure

• Focusing substance of relations• What teachers want and need

• Keeping international attention on cooperative relations• Promoting relationship between teaching conditions &

educational quality• Promoting cooperative relations and also pluralism• Tracking international trends• Comparative research