NC, National Teacher Union Membership Plummets

North Carolina's teachers union sees steep membership decline in recent years.

A new report shows teacher union membership is dropping fast — both across the country and here in North Carolina. Researchers found that in North Carolina, membership in teacher organizations fell from 49% in 2008 to just 21% in 2021, making it one of the biggest declines in the nation.

What’s interesting is researchers say they’re not exactly sure why North Carolina saw such a steep drop, especially since the state already has laws limiting collective bargaining for public employees.

The report also points out that states with stronger teacher unions often spend more money on education, while states with weaker unions tend to spend less. Right now, North Carolina continues to rank toward the bottom nationally in per-student spending.

At the same time, teacher groups like the North Carolina Association of Educators are still pushing hard for higher pay and more school funding. Earlier this month, thousands of educators rallied in Raleigh calling for major increases in teacher salaries and school support.