You’re restlessly sitting in your social studies class, zoning in and out while your teacher drones on and on about something called a union. Anxiously wondering whether this will be on the test, you listen long enough to hear your teacher say, “Oh! You know what’s a good example of a union? The Great Neck Teachers Association (GNTA).” You fall back into your little stupor, not thinking much of it, but over the next few days, you start seeing little references to the GNTA all around the school. A button on a teacher’s lanyard. The sea of matching blue and white T-Shirts that swarm the school. Even though the GNTA has an outsized impact on our community, few students know much about it. It’s time to change that.
The GNTA was founded in 1938 after community members became outraged by the firing of four beloved teachers. The then-recent passage of New York State Tenure Laws helped the union gain legitimacy and coincided with rapid growth in its operations. By 1954, GNTA had negotiated a salary schedule acclaimed as one of the best in the country. Today, the union boasts an astounding 850 members, including school psychologists, librarians, and other personnel.
The primary job of the union is to represent its members in contract negotiations. The GNTA’s Executive Board regularly meets with the Board of Education to negotiate working conditions and compensation. Once terms are agreed upon, the Delegate Assembly, the GNTA’s legislative body, votes on whether or not to bring the proposed contract to a vote by the full membership for adoption. The GNTA also engages with building-level administration through the Building Representation Committee (BRC) to promote teachers’ interests. Retirees also continue to interact with colleagues and district policy through the retired educators chapter (GNTA REC).
Despite being a teacher’s union, GNTA directly impacts how students are taught with its decisions. One of the GNTA’s main missions is to work for “the advancement of education and the improvement of instructional opportunities for all.” But how does the GNTA pursue this goal? For one, the Building Curriculum Group (BCG) meets to advise the principal and address needs identified by teachers. In addition, Ms. Ana Tavares, the GNTA high school director, explained how “there’s always union representation on task forces when there are changes to the curriculum that need to be addressed. For example, when AI came into being, the AI Task Force was implemented.”
The GNTA also provides training for all teachers through their in-service institute and teacher center. According to Mr. James Daszenski, President of the GNTA, “what we hope for is that there are places where teachers can continue to learn and grow to better address the needs of students.”
The GNTA’s positive attitude towards service also extends to the community at large. During World War II, the GNTA assisted with equipping hospitals and donating blood. It even fundraised and helped host a reception for the first United Nations meeting. Today, the GNTA continues its altruistic legacy by collaborating with the St. Aloysius Food Pantry to provide food, toiletries, and other essentials. Representatives from the GNTA’s executive board also attend New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) meetings to discuss issues facing educators across the state, such as considering new charter schools or ensuring proper school funding.
Mr. Daszenski said, “Many of us are committed to our professional careers here, so we have deep roots in the community. We want a part in supporting [it].”
In the end, the union is not just important for the teachers but essential for the students. “Having a union means that we can attract the best and the brightest,” Mr. Daszenski explained. “We can offer compensation to attract good teachers, and not every state in the U.S. can say that. New York is very pro labor, and at the end of the day, that’s actually really good for [students].”
