Collective Bargaining, Teachers and Job Satisfaction

Abstract

The problem. The study determined what differences existed between the levels of job satisfaction registered by teachers from schools with certified bargaining units and the levels of job satisfaction registered by teachers from schools without certified bargaining units. Procedures. The Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire, a measure of satisfaction with twenty..,.one different aspects of the work environment, was administered to teachers from selected Iowa public schools with certified bargaining units and without certified bargaining units. Means were calculated for each job satisfaction scale and the Hotelling's T2, a multivariate analysis, was conducted. An additional analysis of the data was conducted using the nonparametric chi-square. Findings. No significant differences existed between the levels of job satisfaction of teachers from schools with certified bargaining units and the levels of job satisfaction of teachers from schools without certified bargaining units. Conclusions. A review of the literature indicated varied and complex reasons existed for increased teacher militancy and organization. Teacher dissatisfaction was found to be one of the major factors in increased bargaining activity. However, the findings of the study indicated that teachers from schools with certified bargaining units are no more dissatisfied with twenty-one aspects of their jobs than teachers from schools without certified bargaining units. Recommendations. The needs of individual staff members are important. Boards of education and school administrators should create an environment which places an emphasis on the positive contributions of the collective bargaining process that seek to satisfy the needs of individual staff members. Studies of the leadership styles of administrators and boards of education should be conducted to determine whether or not the type of leadership influenced the job satisfaction levels among the teachers in the study. Replications of this study in states other than Iowa should be conducted to determine whether teachers who have been involved in the collective bargaining process for shorter or greater periods of time differ significantly in their job satisfaction levels. Similar studies should be conducted examining factors such as age, sex, experience, and training to determine if such demographic data influence teachers' job satisfaction levels.