Teacher Strikes

Education news, analysis, and opinion about labor actions by teachers that close or disrupt schools

Explainer

Striking teachers hold a rally outside City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on May 4, 2023. More than 3,000 teachers and other workers in the Oakland Unified School District went on strike, saying the district failed to bargain in good faith on a new contract that asks for more resources for students and higher pay for employees.
Teacher Strikes, Explained: Recent Strikes, Where They're Illegal, and More
Here's what to know about educator labor actions and how they've evolved since the 20th century.
View Explainer
Shannon Perry, a special education teacher from Centreville, Va., wears a handmaids costume while attending a "No Kings Day" protest on Presidents Day in Washington, in support of federal workers and against recent actions by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, on Feb. 17, 2025, by the Capitol in Washington. The protest was organized by the 50501 Movement, which stands for 50 Protests 50 States 1 Movement.
Shannon Perry, a special education teacher from Centreville, Va., wears a handmaid costume while attending a No Kings protest against the Trump administration on President's Day in Washington on Feb. 17, 2025. The two national teachers' unions helped organize the rallies, which culminated in huge walkouts nationwide on June 14.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
Teaching Profession How Teachers' Unions Are Confronting the Second Trump Era
Can teachers' unions thread the needle between countering widespread anti-union measures and broadening membership and public support?
Sarah D. Sparks, June 25, 2025
•
17 min read
Jennyerin Steele Staats, a special education teacher from Jackson County, W.Va., joins other striking teachers as they demonstrate outside the state capitol in Charleston, W.Va., on Feb. 27.
Jennyerin Steele Staats, a special education teacher from Jackson County, W.Va., joins other striking teachers as they demonstrate outside the state capitol in Charleston, W.Va., on Feb. 27, 2018. New research suggests U.S. teacher strikes have been effective at increasing wages.
Craig Hudson/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP
Teaching Profession What the Research Says Do Teacher Strikes Increase Pay?
New research finds the majority of teacher strikes in the last decade did boost wages and benefits.
Sarah D. Sparks, August 30, 2024
•
4 min read
An empty school classroom with chairs and desks overlaid with an illustrated professional standing on a percentage mark holding an arrow above it.
iStock/Getty
Teaching Profession An Unexpected Effect of Teacher Strikes on How Much Schools Spend
Districts where strikes took place saw average per-pupil funding grow. But that wasn't the only impact of educator strikes.
Mark Lieberman, April 19, 2024
•
4 min read
Thousands of Los Angeles Unified School District teachers and Service Employees International Union 99 members rally outside the LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on March 21, 2023. Thousands of service workers backed by teachers began a three-day strike against the Los Angeles Unified School District, shutting down education for a half-million students in the nation's second-largest school system.
Thousands of Los Angeles Unified School District teachers and Service Employees International Union 99 members rally outside the LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles on March 21, 2023. Thousands of service workers backed by teachers began a three-day strike against the Los Angeles Unified School District, shutting down education for a half-million students in the nation's second-largest school system.
Damian Dovarganes/AP
School & District Management 3 Takeaways From Recent Educator Strikes
Support workers are using collective action to push for better working conditions. That activism can take several forms.
Mark Lieberman, March 27, 2023
•
4 min read
Cecily Myart-Cruz, president of United Teachers of Los Angeles, with Max Arias, executive director of the Service Employees International SEIU Local 99 union, speak to thousands of Los Angeles Unified School District teachers and SEIU members rallying outside the LAUSD headquarters in Los Angeles Tuesday, March 21, 2023.
A crowd of attendees at a joint rally by United Teachers of Los Angeles and SEIU 99 gathers in front of City Hall on March 15, 2023, in Los Angeles, Calif.
Damian Dovarganes/AP
Teaching Profession In L.A., Teachers and Parents Raise Money for Striking Service Workers
Many service workers cannot afford to miss work during the three-day strike. Teachers and parents are stepping in to help.
Delilah Brumer, Daily Breeze, March 22, 2023
•
3 min read
Thousands of LAUSD education workers calling on LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho to use the district’s $4.9 billion in reserves to invest in staff, students, and communities rally at Grand Park in front of Los Angeles City Hall in Los Angeles on March 15, 2023.
Thousands of Los Angeles Unified School District educators call on Superintendent Alberto Carvalho to use the district’s nearly $5 billion in reserves to invest in staff, students, and communities at a rally at the city's Grand Park on March 15, 2023.
Keith Birmingham/Pasadena Star-News via TNS
Teaching Profession Q&A Los Angeles Educators Are Set to Strike. Will Teachers Elsewhere Follow Suit?
Unions in cities have become more aggressive—and low wages coupled with a demand for talent are giving them leverage.
Madeline Will, March 20, 2023
•
6 min read
Amy Chapman and her daughter, first grader Corinne Anderson, pose for a photo while they support teachers on strike outside Whetstone High School in Columbus, Ohio, on Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022.
Amy Chapman and her daughter, 1st grader Corinne Anderson, show support for teachers on strike outside Whetstone High School in Columbus, Ohio, on Aug. 24, 2022.
Samantha Hendrickson/AP
School & District Management MAP: Where School Employees Can and Can't Strike
See which states do and don't allow public school employees to go on strike.
Mark Lieberman, March 16, 2023
•
2 min read
Bus drivers picket outside the bus barn in Wasilla, Alaska on Jan. 26, 2023. Bus drivers in Alaska’s second-largest school district went on strike after delivering students to classes on Tuesday, Jan. 31, citing unfair labor practices.
Bus drivers picket outside the bus barn in Wasilla, Alaska, on Jan. 26, 2023. Bus drivers in Alaska’s second-largest school district were on strike for more than a month until a tentative agreement was reached earlier this month.
Loren Holmes/Anchorage Daily News via AP
School & District Management Why School Workers Are Going on Strike—And What It Means for Districts
Strike activity increased nationwide last year, and educators were a big part of it. It's holding steady so far in 2023.
Mark Lieberman, March 14, 2023
•
7 min read
Teachers from Seattle Public Schools picket outside Roosevelt High School on what was supposed to be the first day of classes, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022, in Seattle. The first day of classes at Seattle Public Schools was cancelled and teachers are on strike over issues that include pay, mental health support, and staffing ratios for special education and multilingual students.
Teachers from Seattle Public Schools picket outside Roosevelt High School on Sept. 7. Teachers went on strike over issues that include pay, mental health support, and staffing ratios for special education and multilingual students.
Jason Redmond/AP
Teaching Profession Q&A Why Teachers Are Going on Strike This Fall—and What Could Come Next
A labor expert explains what's driving the recent teacher strikes.
Madeline Will, September 19, 2022
•
7 min read
Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
iStock/Getty
School & District Management Opinion What the Teacher and Classified-Staff Strike in Sacramento Means for the Country
If school district leaders changed their mindset about the concept of sharing power, students would be among the beneficiaries.
Larry Ferlazzo, March 31, 2022
•
6 min read
Teachers hold a rally outside the Senate Chambers in the West Virginia Capitol in Charleston, W.Va., on March 5, 2018. A West Virginia state senator introduced a bill on Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021, that would allow striking teachers to be fired. The bill also would allow county boards of education to order the pay of an employee to be forfeited for each day of their participation in a strike.
Teachers hold a rally outside the Senate Chambers in the West Virginia Capitol in Charleston on March 5, 2018. A new working paper shows teacher strikes put education issues front and center in political campaigns.
Tyler Evert/AP
Teaching Profession When Teachers Strike, Education Becomes More Prevalent in Political Campaigns, Study Finds
Teacher strikes have a profound and often unrecognized role in national politics, a new working paper suggests.
Madeline Will, October 27, 2021
•
4 min read
Images shows hand drawn group of protestors.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
Teaching Profession Teachers Walk Off the Job at Chicago’s Urban Prep
With just two weeks left to the school year, teachers went on strike over what they say is a lack of support for special education students.
Karen Ann Cullotta, Chicago Tribune, June 8, 2021
•
3 min read
Teaching Profession New York City Teachers' Union Threatens Strike Over School Reopenings
The possibility of a strike in New York City's schools grew more distinct this week. Unions are pressing their cases in other districts, too.
Catherine Gewertz, August 20, 2020
•
6 min read
Teaching Profession Across the Country, Teachers Rally for Safe Reopenings and Police-Free Schools
A coalition of teachers' unions and progressive groups organized a "National Day of Resistance" to fight against school building reopenings.
Madeline Will, August 3, 2020
•
4 min read
Load More ▼