Running head: THE EFFECTS OF DISTRICT-LEVEL UNION STATUS ON TEACHERS 1

The Effects of District-Level Union Status on the Job Satisfaction of Teachers

Tony Littles

Columbia Southern University

BHR 3352-12O-4A13-S1, Human Resource Management

Professor James Schindler

March 15, 2013

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The effects of district-level union status on the job satisfaction of teachers is a highly

enlightening article by Mark Gius (2012). This article explores on the effects that unionizing the

status of American school districts has on teachers’ job satisfaction. In my view, this article helps

to reveals some interesting, and almost contradicting dynamics, regarding teacher satisfaction as

it relates to district unions in American schools. I make this point because the results of the study

indicated that teachers working in unionized districts were generally less satisfied with their jobs

as teachers, as compared to teachers who worked in non-unionized districts. Further, the results

of the study reveal that teachers working in unionized districts were less likely to leave their jobs

for others that were offering better pays. Moreover, the unionized teachers were more passionate

about their teaching jobs as compared to their counterparts in the non-unionized districts.

Therefore, although the teachers in unionized districts demonstrated low levels of satisfaction

regarding their jobs, they seemed to show satisfaction in certain aspects relating to their positions

as teachers. In the introduction, the author points out a number of opening statements on research

on unionized employees, which generally indicate that most unionized employees show less

satisfaction with their work as compared to non-unionized members. The author points out that

this result often holds irrespective of the functional form used, the model estimated or the data

set studied.

In my view, the author reveals some interesting, and almost contradicting dynamics, with

respect to teacher satisfaction as it relates to district unions in American schools. The author

states that unionized teachers often enjoy better pay packages and receive better benefits, as

compared to non-unionized teachers, it is perplexing that they would demonstrate less

satisfaction with their jobs than their counterparts who are not unionized (Gius, 2012). In my

opinion, unionized teachers often expect more than they can get from their unionized statuses,
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which explain their low levels of satisfaction with regard to their jobs. Although the unionized

teachers are well aware that they receive better salaries and benefits, they would be less willing

to leave their jobs for others that could be more paying because they often value their unionized

status, which helps to protect most of their rights as teachers.

I agree with the observation that unionized teachers receive better pay packages than non-

unionized teachers do, and that they would be less willing to leave their employment due to the

various advantages and protection that comes with such a status. I also agree with the theory

proposed by Freeman and Medhoff suggesting that the expressions of dissatisfaction by

unionized workers are not genuine, because if they were, they would readily quit their positions.

Further, I agree with the explanation put forward that unionized workers and union tend to

exaggerate their workplace problems in a bid to receive higher pays and better benefits. I also

agree with the reason put forward explaining the cause for the dissatisfaction, which states that

dissatisfaction arises because unions often arise in industries and occupations that are highly

unpleasant and dangerous. This explanation reveals that joining unions is a response to the

peculiar attributes of the occupation, and that the dissatisfaction in employees arose long before

they joined the unions (Gius, 2012). I also concur to the explanation that union officials usually

raise the hope of their union members in an unrealistic manner causing them to anticipate

receiving hefty compensations. Dissatisfaction usually follows because such workers do not

receive the hefty pays. The proposal that union tend to compartmentalize workers and their tasks

is also true as this can cause dissatisfaction when employees realize that their organizations do

not utilize or reward their skills and talents adequately. The personal characteristics theory could

also explain dissatisfaction of some workers where some people have the tendency to join

unions. However, I disagree with theory that dissatisfaction arises because workers have
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different preferences as compared to unions because I do not see how union preferences cause

workers’ dissatisfaction.

These passages support my point of view because unionized workers are well aware that

they receive better pay and benefits. In this case, the unionized workers would not be willing to

transfer to other better paying jobs (Gius, 2012). The above explanations show that unionized

workers tend to develop dissatisfaction because of the high expectations that unions tend to

cause, thereby making the unionized workers to develop false or unrealistic hopes regarding their

pays and benefits. The workers also develop dissatisfaction because unions tend to make them

feel miserable and mistreated, which helps to build dissatisfaction in the workers.

In summary, my opinion is that unionized teachers often expect more that they would

ever get from their membership in the unions. Unions often tend to advance for extremely high

pays and benefits in the hope that they would receive an increment for their members. However,

in the process, the workers hopes and expectations rise to unrealistic levels that organizations

would never meet. As workers continually fail to achieve these expectations, dissatisfaction

builds, even when the workers know clearly that their pay packages and benefits are much better

than those offered to non-unionized workers. Therefore, as long as workers continue to remain in

unions they will tend to feel some level of dissatisfaction because their organizations cannot

meet the extremely high pay proposals put forward by their unions. Furthermore, unions often

exaggerate the problems that workers face, making them to feel miserable, thus developing

pessimistic views on their organizations. However, the unionized workers would not leave their

positions because they realize clearly that they have better deals (Gius, 2012).
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References

Gius, M. (2012). The effects of district-level union status on the job satisfaction of

teachers. Economic and Labour Relations Review, 23 (4) 79.