Thesis (Ed. D.)--Teachers College, Columbia University, 1964. / Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Sponsor: Frederick D. Kershner, Jr. Dissertation Committee: Erling M. Hunt. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 197-224).

In education policy, the irresistible force paradox—what happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object?—resonates with many characterisations of the dynamics of education reform and the role of teachers’ unions in reform processes. According to many theories of teachers’ unions in the United States, the paradox is resolved in favour of the immovable object: strong teachers’ unions are alleged to block necessary reforms, hampering school effectiveness and efficiency. This research tests these claims about teachers’ unions, and their impact on reform outcomes—particularly, performance-related pay. Despite teachers’ unions’ supposed opposition to performance-related pay (PRP), there are a number of cases—both within and beyond U.S. borders—where PRP has been implemented. By exploring some of these ‘exceptional’ cases, this research outlines the conditions under which reform is likely to occur, and a more specific explanation of reform ‘failure’. It finds that, though education reform is often portrayed as a power struggle between reform proponents and opponents, there are multiple pathways through which reform may occur. Overpowering unions might be one route, but reform can also be secured through cooperation and compromise. These insights have significant implications for theories of teachers’ unions’ strength, preferences, and policy impact. The findings demonstrate that the insufficiency of existing theoretical accounts. Neither union preferences nor power are simple, monolithic, or predictable, and teachers’ unions do not and cannot block reform at all times and in all places. Beyond theory, these findings carry weighty implications for practitioners regarding the role of unions in public policy decision-making.

Die vorliegende Arbeit bezieht sich auf die gewerkschaftliche Jugendbildungsarbeit (JBA) als Ausdruck der politischen Bildung von jungen Erwachsenen bzw. ihre Aus- und Weiterbildung zu gewerkschaftlichen Funktionären. Als Gegenstand der Untersuchung ist ihre Verbindung zum gesamtgesellschaftlichen Zusammenhang von Interesse, da die JBA auf Grundlage einer kritischen Theorie der Gesellschaft, beeinflusst durch die Frankfurter Schule, die Kritik der politischen Ökonomie von Karl Marx sowie durch diverse marxistische Theoretiker analysiert wird. Ziel dieser Analyse ist die Verwirklichung von drei grundsätzlichen Ansprüchen. Zum einen die Vermittlung von Informationen über den historischen Entwicklungsverlauf der JBA, um ihren Diskurs unter Berücksichtigung der vereinzelten historischen Epochen und Situationen dazustellen. Diese Darstellung bietet die Grundlage, von der aus anhand des erkenntnisleitenden Interesses – der Emanzipation von Herrschaft – das zweite, das zentrale Anliegen der vorliegenden Arbeit, die Falsifikation bzw. die Verifikation ihrer Hypothese – die JBA als „ungelebte Emanzipation“ – verfolgt wird. Die Untersuchung geht zu diesem Zweck der Frage der Politisierung bzw. Entpolitisierung der JBA nach, um anhand dieser Fragestellung den historischen Entwicklungsverlauf der JBA sowie der in ihr kommunizierten politischen Ansprüche zu untersuchen. Ziel ist es, die gewerkschaftlichen Positionen qualitativ zu bestimmen bzw. eine Aussage über ihre politisierende bzw. entpolitisierende Wirkung auf die JBA zu treffen. / The work here refers primarily to the “Jugendbildungsarbeit”, JBA (Youth Education Work) as an expression of the political education of young adults in terms of their education and training as trade union officials. The subject of the investigation is its connection with an overall social coherence of interest, which in turn is analyzed on the basis of a critical theory of society, influenced by the “Frankfurter School”, the criticism of the political economy of Karl Marx and other Marxist theoreticians. This analysis strives to realize three basic goals. The first two are: Providing information concerning the course of JBA development in order to represent that information with regard to each of the historic epochs and situations. That representation is the starting point, from which follows, based on the cognition-inducing interest, the emancipation from rule, the second central concern of the work, namely the falsification and in fact verification of its hypothesis of the JBA as „unfulfilled emancipation“. To do that the question of the politicization or depoliticizing of the JBA is examined, in order, based on this line of questioning, to investigate the historical course of development of the JBA as well as the political demands it communicates. The goal is to qualitatively determine the trade union positions and to formulate a statement about the politicization or depoliticizing effect of the JBA.

(in English): This work deals with women teachers' unions in the period of 1918 - 1939. It monitors the development of women's education in connection with their employment assertion and with their participation in the union life. The first professional associations which were founded by women were teaching guilds. The paper presents an overview of women's associations and follows basic areas of their activities. It focused especially on putting women's equality given by the Constitution into the reality, improving social and economic status of female teachers and their participation in the reform movement. The Federation of teachers of vocational schools for women's occupations is introduced in detail to give the specific idea about the activities of women's teacher unions. These schools, so called family schools are also more closely characterised in their work. Follows a basic overview of the effects of the Union during this period and a description of its organization. The following chapters show in detail the activities of this association in areas which were the subject of the greatest interest. The union is shown as a feminist organization, fighting for the interests of teachers and women in general and women defending the interests of secondary education. The conclusion focuses on the...