The Machine: The Truth Behind Teachers Unions

[@rickschuman2926]

Before education became unionized, we were in the business of educating. Now, we are in the education business.

[@agentbubbles782]

Unions aren't all bad currently a student teacher. During a school board meeting the administration tried to take away uninterrupted 30 min lunch periods and planning blocks for teachers. They said the teachers can just come school an hour earlier. The schools union stood up stopped them. Their argument was they only work 180 days.

[@alterego8496]

Before education became unionized? How far back are we talking of ? Teachers unions are declining in number and the quality of education is declining too. You know who opposed common core? Teachers unions . And running education like a business will give you schools with crumbling buildings and not enough staff.

[@daytoncoates4930]

The low-key carnival music fits the cut out magazine animation so well!

[@ericofthewest24]

"Well-oiled machine" is a bit too polite for what would other-wise be called a parasite.

[@hunterliu6620]

I wish I could give this 1,000,000,000,000,000 thumbs up! This would solve so so many problems in the US.

[@conservativeeepatrick6752]

The video didn't offer a resolve. We can't stop paying taxes. The only true resolve is to remove teachers unions from the schools. That is the only chain we can break in this machine and that can only be done by the politicians. The same politicians that are lobbied for by the Unions. Do you think they will break that chain of income and votes to themselves? There is no feasible resolution to this systemic problem other than big businesses driving the Unions out.

[@bdfunke]

@@conservativeeepatrick6752 Wisconsin resolved it. It allowed for union membership to be truly voluntary. Fewer teachers volunteered to join the union and the system broke down. The money saved from automatic dues collection and no longer having to use the union health insurance plan went directly into teachers’ pockets.

[@alterego8496]

@@bdfunke and what benefits are there for teachers or students? Have you ever talked to any Wisconsin teachers? You really think employing people without health insurance and poor pay will resolve this problem . Imagine if you treated your doctors and other like this. Union membership isn't really the problem in first place rather budget cuts which led to this.

[@bdfunke]

@@alterego8496 there’s the propaganda. Being free from just choosing the overpriced, union plan, school districts were free to choose better plans at a lower price. Then they were able to pass on the cost savings to the teachers as a raise. This is well documented but don’t let these facts get in the way of “the narrative”.

Privatize schools! Get government out of education!

[@FuriousFatMan]

98 people love living off the backs of the productive. -FFM

[@cecere2]

Yes, ignorance is truly bliss. That's why we have so many blissful people in this country.

[@KapitalP73]

Living in NC and two teachers live in my apartment building. They were both day drinking during the pandemic while "teaching from home". By 3 PM they were venturing out (maybe to pick up more booze) and would come back parking their car in two spaces or at an angle. One was recently arrested for DUI. Most teachers aren't the "hero's" the media makes the out to be. They're not very bright and took an easy way out on a job that gives them half the year off. Nothing exactly noble about about that if you ask me.

[@denimcowboy501]

In Right to Work states, you cannot be forced to be part of a union.

[@Studio55FRG]

I only stay at the hotel if I choose to, and I happily pay for the stay and any services I use. I am forced at gun point to pay for wars, services I don't use or need, the property I supposedly own in this country. Same thing applies in pretty much any other country nowadays. I and many others are fighting to restore this country to what it was founded as. If taxes were such a fantastic idea, they wouldn't need the men with guns.

[@stephenbmassey]

Corporations in general don't make money off taxpayers, they make money off their customers, and they have to persuade the customer to give them money in return for services.

[@TechieTard]

Finally, someone else that sees things for what they are!

[@leightonwatson7842]

pro tip : watch series on flixzone. I've been using it for watching loads of movies lately.

[@roccowalker6925]

@Leighton Watson Definitely, been using Flixzone for since november myself :)

[@famfamfam5782]

Center lefty here. I wanted to get a tough but fair take on this issue from the other side, but also not some insane/stupid fox,etc take. Thanks, Reason! Never change!

[@PeterDrake]

There is nothing wrong with any of those steps, except the last one. Buying a politician with campaign contributions. Just limit political donations to people (no unions or corporations) and limit the dollar amount to something low (like $1000) and you'll have a lot more democracy and a lot less corruption.

[@Liberty4Ever]

Excellent video! Thank you Evan! I wish there was some way to get this video on TV, but that would only help if the passive and pacified TV viewer could somehow be motivated to care about important stuff like this.

[@riverduck3]

Defund the school system until they banish the Teacher's Unions.

[@schmobot]

I think America's problem is most of all corruption. Unions are big here in Scandinavia, but the system works quite well without the massive corruption in unions and politics.

[@chuckwilliams3003]

My mom’s name is Sally. She’s a teacher. But she lives in a Right-to-work state. She teaches a classroom full of students who have behavioral disorders that other teachers refused to teach. The kids beat her up on a daily basis. Pinching her until they draw blood. Kicking her in the knee so she has to have a knee operation. They run out of the classroom naked and destroy her property and teaching materials. In order to maintain order in the classroom, she needs more help, but the district refuses to give it to her on the account that it would redirect money out of their paychecks. Regardless of whether Sally’s in a union or not, Sally’s underpaid.

[@jpk112]

In Sacramento the most expense building built in the city is the Teachers Union headquarters, glad I could help with my taxes. We need reform now!

[@TheWorldBelow360]

Great explanation. Really begs the question as to why education needs both the protection of “the Government” and the Union. But then it is already known to many of us as simple racketeering. A seemingly unsolvable problem associated with machines. But, since the Dems are in control, Tammany Hall still reigns supreme.

[@jamesmurphy9105]

Advertisement for Home school

[@ProductBasement]

Homeschoolers still have to pay for this crap, plus the cost of their own curriculum, having a parent stay home, co-ops, and field trips. For now...

[@TheHireTheBetter]

They don't fight for the rights of the taxpayer. Or the kids.

[@xcvsdxvsx]

brilliant, professional and extremely well polished. Please more videos like this! even if the cost is fewer videos in total.

[@davec3487]

Union thugs. Serve no purpose in life besides extortion.

[@joenuno8071]

davec3487 You’re misinformed, you listen to your employer anti-union propaganda

[@italiancapo7]

davec3487 clueless

[@RandyOnTheRadio]

Why is it that in the Untied States, it is always about "follow the money"?

[@aphyd23]

"So by that logic one could also say that ..." No. One couldn't say that b/c govt employee unions get their money from taxpayers and then use that money to bribe politicians to increase funding from tax dollars. So there is a feedback loop. Corporations also lobby politicians and I oppose that. But they're not bribing politicians with tax dollars. So there is no feedback loop. Ultimately, corporations do have some accountability to the market.

[@RichardCushing]

Yes. The NEA talks a good game about putting "students first" while their actions deny the very thing they so loudly espouse.

[@mhwharp]

Having worked in the public schools for many, many years I can vouch for what is stated in this video. In NYC teachers are sent a whole newspaper with political candidates running for office in the NY, NJ. Conn. area and you need an electron microscope to find a Republican listed on any of the many pages. Where there is a Republican running unapposed the Teachers Union paper leaves it blank. So yes he is quite right and the teachers unions will hate him for exposing their corruption.

[@chinajoe6510]

This is sickening.

[@BionicElfAZ]

Im a Republican and I really like a lot of Reason-TV's videos. Like this video, reasontv shows us real problems without caring much about parties. The American people is a whole and we need to work together to better the economy, not divide ourselves into parties. The reason why I started by saying that Im a republican is because that shouldn't really matter, I'm just an American

[@rorywest]

The great thing about private schools is that they have to produce good results or parents will start changing their kids' schools. Public schools have no such incentive and in a lot of places students are locked into a single district, not able to change schools. Allowing private schools provides healthy levels of competition that every industry needs. Once again, everyone can afford private schools with vouchers, not just the rich, so any inequality is not based on class or income.

[@roughsketchguitarlickz7455]

I FUCKING HATE SCHOOL EVEN MORE NOW

[@kludgedude]

Funny

[@eirefrance]

True, they only imply it throughout by suggesting that A) education spending is spent on teacher salaries and B) education spending had been rapidly increasing.

[@RayLRhodes]

This is why I never trust public school teachers other than teaching me their subject.

[@dbrereton5075]

...homeschool or go private.🙏

[@MichaelJursic]

Right to work = right to work for less. Right to work is code for unionbusting.

[@PrezVeto]

> You never hear any complaints about the prison guard unions. You're not paying attention.

[@JimmyGunXD556]

I am for a world of Wal-Mart !

[@savageecho]

Oh, I'm with you. I'm all for having a huge turn-over rate for all of Congress until all the 'owned' ones are gone. I think it was Twain who said, "Politicians are like diapers, they should be changed often and for the same reason." I also think that any public(gov't) job should not be allowed to unionize, it's backwards thinking. Imagine if the U.S. military unionized, they'd become about worthless, so why cops, nurses (like in the V.A.) and teachers?

[@SmokeRingsPipeDreams]

Anyone receiving money from the govt should not be allowed to vote or give money to campaigns.

[@MovieCompoundBoat]

Well done.

[@lauraanderson7358]

there is power in numbers. . . taxpayers unite !

[@benilak]

Agreed, if only we could somehow find a way to enforce this system, the results would be astonishing.

[@dsmtoday]

This is a distinction without a difference. The whole video was about money transfer.

[@cecere2]

When small minds don't know how to debate with logic, they resort to cursing.

[@RichardCushing]

Stopping schools from hiring, retaining and rewarding the VERY BEST teachers by requiring LIFO (last-in, first-out) staffing. Is that how your favorite football team is staffed, or do they try to find and KEEP the very best players in order to improve team performance?

[@jacktribble5253]

Our entire "Educational" system needs to be demolished and rebuilt from scratch. It doesn't matter how difficult a project like that would be, considering the alternative is the destruction of our nation.

[@homeschoolmarm]

The key to fixing our broken educational system in America is to get rid of the unions. When have teacher's unions EVER advocated FOR the STUDENTS? NEVER.

[@cshargeit]

the best thing i learned in elementary school was math. this same math (not "new math") taught me percentages and ratios. a five dollar registration fee paid for my associate degree and much more. this was during the mid 70's when the word "rip off" was heard like prophecy.

[@mrmkieselbach]

Well done!

[@kludgedude]

Awesome videos! Yeah I do agree about what he said about not using the money we worked for.

[@Studio55FRG]

I'm not forced to stay at his hotel at gun point. I am forced to pay taxes at gun point whether or not I have kids, drive on public roads, etc...

[@Zeakthecat]

i got a idea, how about everyone homeschool the kids and plan the kids ahead so they can literally get a education from their parents? ya know like all parents should be able to do instead of working 2-3 jobs a week just to get by?

[@ahbindare]

It is not the teachers job to "Raise Smarter Kids", it is the parents job to raise them and the teachers job is to educate them. There seems to be a big disconnect when you can't tie a teachers evaluation to the ability of the students that they teach. It looks like the teachers union was not able to "buy" all of the Chicago politicians, so they go on strike to somehow force the public to give them what they want through pressure on the politicians. Seems the teachers have abandoned the kids.

[@JimmyGunXD556]

LOL!! Yes! My favorite comment was at the DNC was when Clinton said " Instead of trying to fix the economy the republicans were more focused on stopping Obama from another term? That was F'ing brilliant.

[@THESocialJusticeWarrior]

Yes, there is no way a government worker could fight back alone.

[@joeschmoe4000]

No. As a Libertarian, the freedom of association is essential to a society. However, FORCED unions are a different thing.

[@Metal_Fingers.]

Why don't get rid of police unions first.

[@Technoguy3]

Privatize public schools.

[@disneyr]

Another professionally produced video from Evan Coyne Maloney. Great job! So simple even a gradeschooler would understand.

[@aaronu6870]

Remember, dear taxpayer: in this analogy of a well-oiled machine, you are not a cog. You are the oil.

[@biccat]

Others might call it "protection money."

[@aphyd23]

I share your concern over outsourcing (and even H1B Visas). My recommendation is that imports and exports be balanced so that the US can't import more than it exports. That would solve the trade deficit and act as a brake on outsourcing. That was Warren Buffet's idea, by the way.

[@shaddelick]

Great vid! Was this video done in 2007? Because i see that the reffered to 2007 as the current year on the bar graph. Thanks!

[@rorywest]

The difference is that schools in Finland operate in a vastly different way. Our school system is pretty terrible as it is, and little is being done to reform it. And no, throwing more money on the problem doesn't help, we need to revamp the system completely. Private schools offer a way to give a child an education that does not have to follow the failing system enacted in public schools. Not only that, but if you have voucher programs, everyone can get a private education, even the very poor.

[@Thewizzardof9]

Good presentation. And nothing will stop the machine.

[@wood9670]

I applaud you sir on your trolling. You crammed in so many straw men and false assertions in so few words. I am not looking to debate you. I just wanted to let you know that your skills have been noted and admired. Thunderous applause sir, THUNDEROUS!!!!! (clap, clap, clap)

[@theLepisma]

...except you're not forced to pay any money to corporations, while the guberment sends you to jail if you don't pay to fuel this "system of monetary exchange".

[@chrispearson2816]

This couldn't be further from the truth. 1. Union dues do not go to politicians. People can donate to PACs just like anyone else and that money is used once the MEMBERS decide who to endorse, NOT Jim. 2. "Sally" makes her money because she EARNED that money. The tax payers are just giving her money to give away. She earned it and has the right to spend it in the manner she decides. 3. Without unions you wouldn't have Labor Day, 8 hour work days, and many other benefits.

[@Siegetower]

Excellent, clearly written video. More like this please ReasonTV. And less on smoking dope....

[@sonotover]

Taxation using the threat of force makes all this possible, without the threat of force and redistribution of wealth, there can be no chain.

[@shalcall]

It doesn't matter how many organizations throw up their arms and yell, it matters what their argument is. If their argument is that they can no longer impose their religion on those who don't agree with them, they lose. If their argument is that this effects their worship, they'll win. If their worship requires imposing their religion on others then you've reached the limits of the first amendment.

[@shalcall]

No, you're not forced to stay at the hotel at gun point. But you did stay at the hotel anyway. When the owner expects his cash, you're trying to call him the thief. Similarly, you are not forced to remain in this country, or even to remain a U.S. citizen.

[@TheHireTheBetter]

Why would the GOP support public education that ruins the lives of so many children? Unlike the teacher's unions, the GOP actually cares about educating children. All the teacher's unions care about is more money for less work. Look at the Chicago strike - the teachers there make $75K/year and work 7 hour days, 10 months a year. That's 50% more than what I make as a programmer, working 8-10 hour days year round. And still it's not enough for them! Meanwhile the kids are out of school.

[@shalcall]

And there is a market factor with private schools? Most private schools are non-profit.

[@unseenagitator]

i generally agree with this argument; the only problem is that the argument is usually reappropriated to justify the existence and actions of much larger and more powerful gears of the machine. the primary goal of the non-corporate union is not to effect campaign contributions but to stop the gears from moving, which is, at a time of unlimited and unaccounted for bailouts, corporate welfare, massive military and prison expenditures, etc., very much necessary.

[@hvycmrable]

There is no need for the dept of education. My money should stay in my community and we should deceid what right for us

[@shalcall]

You cannot have a "pure free-market" without government to, at a very minimum, ensure property rights, resolve contract disputes, and mitigate the tragedy of the commons. Without that, you have rule by the strongest. The largest most powerful group will form their own government. Anarchy never lasts.

[@LetsGo-LoveYourself]

So cut off the money from unions to politicians.... a union is a basic way of protecting workers, stop allowing that to fund politicians.

[@TullyRiven]

“few negatives” Like cities going bankrupt and states soon to follow? Like crappy performance being the justification for more and more cash and casting blame for the failures on people who say, “WTF! We’re spending more per student than ever before and your solution is to throw more money at the problem?!” My mother and mother-in-law were both teachers and I have great respect for them. Teachers unions block reforms absolutely required to fix a failing system and that is no small matter.

[@brudug713]

I had a friend who worked as a teacher in NEw York City. He told me something I never knew. There are teachers for whatever reason go to work every morning and sit in a classroom full of teachers. Here they read, play video games, surf the web ( yes the have internet too). All because they can’t fire a teacher. So they report to their assigned classroom and do nothing. For that they collect a full salary and benefits. Let’s disband the teachers unions and bring back common sense. It’s your money they’re wasting.

[@Studio55FRG]

I don't believe in government because I had a mother and father to help me reach adulthood. Now that I'm there, I no longer need a baby sitter....

[@noballoffire]

I see nothing wrong with politicians making policies that improve education (including hiring more teachers!)

[@shalcall]

So the questions are - 1. does the mandate as it currently stands, actually require religious universities to pay for contraception. It doesn't - the insurer is required to provide it free of charge to any employee that requests it. 2. Does the mandate apply to organizations where religion is a requirement for hiring. No, it doesn't. It only applies to organizations where religion is not a test in hiring. So tell me again how this conflict with their worship?

[@Dave.Liebhard]

I LOVE how this is anti-teacher union video and not just anti-union. What about police and firefighter unions? If the American people want to destroy unions it HAS to be ALL unions. Personally, for the health of the government employee, I think there should be unions. Just make it into a choice and let it not be mandatory.

[@howitstartsmm]

how is it legal for our public servants to collectively bargain while under contract? I don't remember authorizing our servants to do this.

[@carlimuzquiz979]

Amazing video. Thank you. Your way of explaining it makes it so simple to understand. Thank you ❤️

[@TheSanityInspector]

You don't give money to corporations at gunpoint though, only when you buy a good or service.

[@rorywest]

Yes, public schools are equal; every child gets an equally terrible education. You can't just get rid of private schools assuming some kind of reform will be done afterwards, fix it first and then people will go back to using it. There is also no reason that a private education is inherently unequal. Voucher programs have been very successful at allowing children of all types to get a private education. And people of all income levels want private schools, not just the rich.

[@alcd6333]

It the students who suffer the most: there have been no improvements in academic performance for decades despite such huge increases in spending on public schools. We've got to get rid of tenure for teachers (and just outright fire them if they consistently perform poorly in teaching). Speaking of unions: Randi Weingarten is the current president of the AFT; her annual salary totals over $540,000.00. What the hell is she getting paid that much for when the US ranks below Europe and East Asia in standardized tests? The whole system needs to be revamped starting with removing the bureaucrats who've made it this lousy.

[@noneofyerbeeswax1514]

Ah yes, the East Asian school system. The best suicide machine money can't buy. That needs ridiculous standards and 12 hour school days.

[@TheShaniqua1992]

East Asian suicide rates, are ironically, due to their COLLECTIVE cultures. It is not the "schooling system" or "long school hours (as they have much longer and more breaks during the day)" that products higher suicide rates (as their suicide rates are also higher over the general population in every age group), but their cultures of conformity. Anyone who dons't fit the "mold" find themselves as outcasts. It's funny how Scandinavian counties are used as examples for socialists, yet they fail to mention they have school voucher systems, accelerated paths (separating problem children from academic children), and rank a lot higher in economic freedom indexes, with far fewer regulations.

[@commercialartservicesartwo3133]

Well you obviously can't put the one public protection tool (unions) in place against the public themselves. Only anti-union people would do that and only dummies would go along with it. It's a self eating loop and you only need a little common sense to see it. Unions are put in the public sector to "break" towns and force privatization - it's the privatization motive. Just like we do to 3rd world nations but using different means. In this case - they are saying "you like unions so much - you use them on yourself" and that's not how they work. . If you want to know how a proper Union works - see the NFL. Those guys (on average) would do that for 70k a year or less. They instead make millions of dollars but WITHOUT breaking the owner - the owner is rich too. They are all happy because the situation is balanced. A proper union, besides securing safe conditions, secures a "fair share" of the profits. That's what a union is suppose to do. In a public situation - you simply don't have a "fair share" of the profits to measure unless you recalculate everyone's wages based on the towns taxes. Right now - police, fire, education gets way too much public money and produce nothing. The only one producing anything is the schools and that product directly benefits the private companies so shouldn't the private companies be paying for education? How long and in how many ways are you going to subsidize private industry with public funds?? They are the biggest welfare queens going - particularly the biggest companies. Walmart helps full time workers get welfare and their container ships coming from China - you know the reason we lost our jobs - are coming over protected by U.S. Naval ships that we also pay for. Never mind the carbon pollution and waste we all have to pay for because they want to make stuff cheaper and cheat us out of jobs. Put your blame where it belongs and tell everyone if we want Unions - we all have to them. No union bosses and no dues. One union. Also - if we want to call citizens/people lazy welfare queens, make damn sure you have a job worth leaving the house for to offer them first. These so called jobs are shit wages that only a desperate slave will take. You don't want that world.

[@TheHireTheBetter]

In many states, you CANNOT opt out of a union without refraining from taking the job. When I referred to "thuggery", I wasn't referring to the collective bargaining process. I was referring to thuggery. You know, peer pressure. Threatening, beating, or murdering people who cross the picket line (All things that have happened, BTW). I also wasn't referring to your personal situation. That's great that you can opt out - many can't, without finding another job.

[@LeAnn610]

Wisconsin is so blessed with a governor that is school superintendent. He knows how to help teachers.

[@redknight326]

yeah... so a quick Google search tells me that teachers *aren't* required to join unions... might want to change that

[@THESocialJusticeWarrior]

Because without a union it would be each individual against the entire government each time there is a dispute and the individual would almost always lose.

[@WappsOps]

that is as good a summary as I have read

[@7117hpr7117]

Mistake at 3:10. Edward does not use that money to campaign for more teachers like Sally. He uses that money for campaign commercials to get elected. Once elected he raises property taxes to get more money to pay Sally. So Sally gets a raise so she can pay more in Union dues, which gets more campaign money the next time around for Edward. It's the biggest kickback scandal in term of dollars in history.

[@guilo44]

Once again, no reason-no point. My statement was that private schools spend less on administration and more on BOTH teachers and cirriculum. Public school districts are overburdened with administrative positions. Even out here in Texas the ISD has administrators outnumber teachers 2:1. And when private schools spend money there's a profit-loss motive, consumers (parents) want results. There is no market factor keeping Public schools in check- the pitfall of government programs.

[@zabzec1500]

Campaign Finance Reform is the solution to this problem. NOT attacking the poor teachers or the poor students. Leave the unions alone, although I certainly don't dispute that they represent some negative variables in the equation also.

[@sj-qo5px]

include the fact that workers who aren’t worth their salt are automatically included in the unions, so they get union mandated pay increases at the expense of good workers.

[@jetriot]

Unless I want the dental plan, of course.