Latest / New Teacher Talk / Ep 180: Union Membership: Your Path to Protection, Opportunity & Community

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Ep 180: Union Membership: Your Path to Protection, Opportunity & Community · New Teacher Talk

Hello listeners, my name is Dion Copeland.
I'm an assistant principal and Nationally Board Certified T
eacher,
and I'm excited to talk to you all about something that has
played a major role in my professional journey,
which is union membership.
When I first started teaching,
I didn't fully understand what my union did or how much it
would eventually support me,
but thanks to a former teacher of mine calling me over at
New Teacher Orientation,
I joined and learned that union membership is much more
than dues or just attending meetings.
It's about protection, opportunity, and community.
I'll be sharing my personal experiences and breaking down
why joining your local teacher's union can be one of the
smartest decisions you make as a new educator.
My first piece of advice is simple.
Find out who your building representative is and introduce
yourself as soon as possible.
Ask them one question.
What should I know about your union as a new teacher?
That one conversation can open a door to support you didn't
even know existed,
which brings me to the next part of our conversation.
Why you should join your local teacher's union?
Union membership comes with a wide range of benefits that
extend well beyond the classroom.
These can include affordable insurance options,
legal assistance, access to credit and financial services,
travel and retail discounts,
and even professional learning resources.
The National Education Association and its state affiliates
offer programs which are designed to support educators
professionally and personally,
helping to improve their overall quality of life.
Take five minutes to review your union membership benefits
online.
Search up your local state or go to the National Education
Association's website and go through their insurance
options, legal supports, discounts,
and professional resources.
Even if you never use them all,
knowing what's available puts you in a position to protect
yourself and your finances early in your career.
It could also build you a few relationships if you're able
to tell someone about a resource that they can use if
you're knowledgeable about the resources available to them.
While all of these benefits are important and they matter
in different ways,
I wanna focus our conversation on the union perks that made
the biggest difference for myself and others as new and
even veteran teachers.
These are the ones that truly shaped my growth and support
educators as professionals all across the country.
These include representation and advocacy,
networking and relationship building,
leadership opportunities, and scholarships.
As we talk about representation and advocacy,
one of the most powerful benefits of union membership,
which happens at every level, including the local, state,
and national.
At the local level,
union leaders work directly with school boards,
district leaders,
and administrators to improve working and learning
conditions for educators and students.
This includes advocating for fair pay and benefits,
reasonable class sizes, job security,
protected planning time,
and policies that allow teachers to do their best work for
students.
I've experienced this advocacy firsthand.
As a local building representative for my union,
I was appointed by our local president to serve on the
district's defined workday committee.
As the middle school teacher representative,
I worked alongside other teachers, principals,
and assistant superintendents to advocate for protected
planning time, equitable assignment of duties,
both paid and non-compensated,
consistent reporting end times for teachers across the
district, and even duty-free lunch for teachers.
That seat at the table mattered,
and it was made possible through my union.
At the state level,
unions like the Kentucky Education Association don't just
respond to policy, they help shape it.
KEA members played a major role in Governor Andy Beshear's
re-election.
We canvassed and mobilized voters to support a candidate
with a strong record of supporting public education.
The National Education Association,
which is the largest U.S.
educators union, which started in 1857,
recently helped advance the Social Security Fairness Act.
This repealed the unfair windfall elimination provision and
government pension offset,
which were policies that have long penalized educators and
other public servants in terms of their retirement.
Don't just join your union on paper.
Get connected as the people you meet through your union can
become your strongest professional support system.
Stay informed and show up when it matters.
Read those emails, respond to calls to actions,
and make sure you vote in local and state elections that
impact education.
Advocacy only works when all educators participate,
and your voice matters more than you think.
Strong advocacy matters,
but truly connecting with the professionals in your network
matters just as much.
For me,
some of the strongest relationships in my career came
through my union,
and that brings me to the power of networking and
relationship building.
Joining my local union was one of the best decisions I've
made in my career.
Through my union, I've met incredible people locally,
across the state, and nationally,
many of whom I now consider close friends.
These are people I look forward to seeing at meetings,
conferences, and events,
and people I stay connected with through group chats and
shared work.
Yes, group me's, and yes,
individual text message threads that go all the time,
but with people I truly enjoy.
My union has provided access to professional conferences
and trainings that were fully funded or heavily subsidized,
opportunities that I might not have been able to afford
early in my career.
Attending state and national conferences allowed me to
learn from educators across the country,
sharpen my practice,
and return to my schools energized with new ideas and
perspectives.
Just as importantly,
those conferences expanded my professional network in ways
that still benefit me today.
One of my favorite sayings that I encourage all people,
my students, and even other professionals,
is that if your network is not growing,
then your network is not growing.
My union has afforded me some of my favorite professional
learning communities,
spaces filled with people who challenge me, encourage me,
and share a deep passion for education.
These relationships don't just support your practice,
they sustain you through the highs and lows of this
profession.
My advice to new teachers is simple.
Show up, attend meetings, apply to attend conferences,
join committees,
and take advantage of opportunities as they come up.
You'll grow professionally, build lifelong relationships,
and realize just how powerful it is to be part of the
collective.
Commit to attending at least one union meeting even or
conference this year,
especially if it's paid for or subsidized.
Go in with one goal.
Introduce yourself to someone new.
Those connections can turn into mentors, collaborators,
and lifelong friends.
Positive relationships expand your reputation and often
open the door to something else that's incredibly powerful,
leadership opportunities.
Your union offers numerous leadership opportunities at both
the local and state levels.
These can include serving on executive boards,
enrolls as president, vice president, secretary, treasurer,
or other various building, district,
or regional representatives.
There are also opportunities to serve on committees focused
on scholarships, professional learning, advocacy, equity,
and more.
At the national level, members can participate in cohorts,
task forces, and representative assemblies,
helping shape the future of the profession on a much larger
scale.
At the local level,
I've served as a building representative and a board
member.
At the state level,
I've served as a delegate to the state's delegate assembly
and represented my region and chaired the scholarship
committee on the central district board.
I've created professional development on implicit and
explicit bias for union members as well.
Through the National Education Association,
my state president designated me as a participant for the
Leaders for Just Schools cohort.
Each year,
LJS gathers in a new city for intensive learning.
I've gotten to experience Minneapolis, Denver,
and Baltimore all expenses covered.
I've also been to Philadelphia and Portland as an elected
delegate of Kentucky to the National Education Association
representative assemblies.
These experiences connected me with educators across the
country who are deeply committed to advocacy, leadership,
and equity in education.
These opportunities also strengthened my confidence,
expanded my perspectives,
and prepared me for leadership beyond the classroom.
If leadership interests you even a little bit,
apply for one role or volunteer for an opportunity this
year.
You can start small, serve on a committee,
attend a delegate assembly,
or just show up and shadow a building rep.
You don't have to be perfect, you just have to be willing.
One of the ways unions make leadership and professional
growth possible, especially early in your career,
is through something incredibly tangible, scholarships.
During my time as the scholarship committee chair for the
Central District of the Kentucky Education Association,
I oversaw the distribution of over $10,000
in continuing education and future educator scholarships
for members and aspiring teachers.
In Kentucky,
the Kentucky Education Association offers scholarships at
the local district and state levels,
and the NEA also provides scholarship opportunities for
members nationwide.
Personally,
I've benefited from multiple union-funded scholarships that
helped me earn my master's degree,
educational specialist degree,
and my national board certification.
These opportunities reduced financial stress and made
advanced professional growth possible,
which is something I might not have been able to pursue so
early in my career.
If you're wondering how to find out about these scholarship
opportunities, start close to home.
Ask your building representative or local union leader what
scholarships are available and how you can apply.
Many local unions don't advertise widely,
but the opportunities are there.
My biggest advice is don't assume you're not eligible and
don't wait until someone tells you about an opportunity.
Ask questions, apply early,
and let your union help invest in your future.
In closing,
union membership has supported me at every stage of my
career, from new teacher to now school leader.
Union membership isn't just a line on your resume,
it's a tool for protection, growth,
and connection throughout your career.
From advocacy that protects your rights,
relationships that sustain you,
leadership opportunities that expand your skills,
and scholarships that invest in your future,
your union is there to support you every step of the way.
My advice to new educators is simple, get involved,
ask questions,
and take advantage of every opportunity your union offers.
Attend a meeting, volunteer for a committee,
apply for a scholarship, or go to a conference.
These small steps can have a huge impact on your career.
Remember,
your advocacy only works when all educators participate and
your voice matters more than you think.
By showing up, connecting with others,
and using the available resources,
you'll not only grow as a professional,
you'll help shape the future of education.
I truly hope you take advantage of some of the
opportunities I've shared today.
Please feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn.
I can be found searching Dion Copeland EDS, NBCT.
Thank you so much for listening,
and I hope you'll take the first step this week to engage
with your local union and see just how much support you can
gain as an educator.
Thanks for spending part of your day with us on New Teacher
Talk.
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