The country’s two national teachers’ unions, who were once rivals competing for the loyalty of members, have formed an unprecedented partnership to address issues related to teacher quality, school safety, discipline, and school infrastructure. National Education Association (NEA) President Bob Chase and American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Sandra Feldman announced the formation of a new NEA-AFT Joint Council, which will consist of 30 members. The council will conduct research, promote model solutions, work closely with up to 10 school districts implementing changes, and organize at least two national conferences next year. Ms. Feldman stated, "We have been adversaries in the past, but now we are joining together for our children."

This collaboration between the NEA and AFT, which represent 2.3 million and 950,000 members respectively, is highly significant. It demonstrates the increasing alignment of the unions on major issues affecting public education in recent years. While the organizations have participated in larger coalitions involving other groups, this is the first exclusive collaboration between the two unions at the national level. Both presidents emphasized that this joint council should not be seen as a step towards a merger, and they intend to continue with the council even if merger talks break down.

Although last week’s announcement was not directly about a merger, many observers believe that it signifies a test of the organizations’ ability to work closely together. If the joint council succeeds in its work, it could increase the likelihood of a merger in the future. Adam Urbanski, president of the Rochester Teachers Association, described it as an "organizational form of dating" before committing to marriage.

NEA President Bob Chase has been advocating for unions to expand their role beyond traditional collective bargaining. He believes unions should collaborate with district administrators and officials to bring about school improvement, rather than viewing them as adversaries. This notion of "new unionism" aligns the NEA more closely with the AFT, which has been focusing on promoting high academic standards and improving student discipline. The joint council’s work group on teacher quality will focus on encouraging teachers to pursue national board certification, increasing minority representation in the profession, and facilitating teacher mentoring and evaluation.

The council will also address school safety and discipline through a conference, analysis of state laws and district policies, and the creation of a training video on classroom management. While there are no immediate plans for a conference on school infrastructure issues, the council aims to bring together experts from various fields to propose public-private partnerships to assist districts in building and renovating schools.

The creation of joint councils among state and local affiliates is expected to be announced soon, indicating further cooperation between the NEA and AFT. This development is encouraging for union leaders who support the idea of merging the two organizations. The goal of a potential merger is not to become the largest union, but to enhance advocacy for public education. However, previous merger talks have faced challenges due to differences in governance, structure, and culture between the NEA and AFT.

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