Teacher Unions During The 1970's

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During the 1970s to 1980s Michigan, teacher unions were considered as one of the most stable and powerful unions in America (Boyd 1998, 1). They became even stronger by the new legislation of collective bargaining for public sectors workers (Boyd 1998, 3). Michigan Education Association (MEA) the Michigan Federation of Teachers (MFT) fought and won their benefits, job security for members and an increase in salaries (Boyd 1998, 3). In fact, Boyd states that “these gains were won in substantial part through the unions’ exploitation of an expanded right to strike, in conjunction with pattern bargaining that sought to match gains won in one district (often after a strike) with similar gains in neighboring districts” (Boyd 1998, 3). According