A 2024 study finds that teacher strikes improve teachers' pay, working conditions, and productivity. In “The causes and consequences of U.S. Teacher Strikes” (National Bureau of Economic Research, Working Paper 32095, August 2024), authors Melissa Arnold Lyon, Matthew A. Kraft, and Matthew P. Steinberg analyze 772 teacher strikes in 27 states between 2007 and 2023.
The researchers find that teachers' salaries increase by about 8 percent, roughly $10,000, in the 5 years after a strike. In the year immediately following a strike, teachers received an average raise of 3 percent, about $2,000. The benefits teachers received from strikes extended beyond salary increases. Teachers saw improvements in their benefits, which increased by 6 to 9 percent, equating to an additional $2,700 to $3,400 per teacher over 5 years. Strikes also resulted in increased funding for schools, with districts raising their per-student spending by $600 to $1,300 within 3 to 5 years after a strike.
The authors find that strikes not only lead to higher pay, but they also lead to improved working conditions for teachers and improved learning environments for students. The authors identify a reduction in class sizes, with the student-teacher ratio decreasing by approximately 0.5 students per class (3.2 percent). This decrease led to a more manageable workload for teachers and a more personalized learning experience for students. Furthermore, per-pupil spending for nonteaching support staff, like school nurses and counselors, increased by about 7 percent.
Teacher strikes did not have a substantial negative impact on student achievement. The researchers explore the effect of strikes on educational productivity, measured by test scores. Although strikes lasting 2 weeks or longer resulted in small declines in math scores the following year, most strikes were short, lasting just 1 or 2 days and with two-thirds concluding within 5 days. As a result, the brief nature of the strikes limited any potential negative effects on student outcomes. These strikes collectively resulted in 48 million student days in which students were out of class because of strike-related school shutdowns.
The study also reveals that most teachers who went on strike (89 percent) were focused on securing raises and improved benefits. Meanwhile, 59 percent of strikes aimed to improve working conditions, such as reducing class sizes and increasing the number of noninstructional staff. However, 23 percent of strikes did not result in wage gains that exceeded the teachers’ expected annual salary increases.
The research also highlights that teacher strikes reflect broad concerns about public education. Striking teachers often work in districts that have lower per-student funding and larger class sizes. These districts also tend to serve a higher proportion of minority students from low-income backgrounds as well as students who are learning English as a second language. Teachers in these areas not only strike for higher pay but also for better working conditions that directly impact the quality of education their students receive. In addition to pay and working conditions, some teacher strikes address "common good" issues, defined as noneducation issues that affect communities, such as affordable housing and immigration policy. Despite the fact that teacher strikes are illegal in 37 states, public support for these actions remains strong.
Lyon, Kraft, and Steinberg’s findings from this study provide clear evidence that teacher strikes lead to meaningful improvements for educators. Strikes have become a powerful tool in boosting teacher compensation and improving working conditions and productivity in the classroom.
United States Department of Labor
