Teacher Strikes as Public Signals

Abstract

Teacher strikes are tactics that unions use to influence contract negotiations, and high-profile actions that have the potential to signal the need for policy change. We study the political economy of strikes by collecting original data on U.S. teacher strikes from 2007-2018. Using a difference-in-differences framework, we analyze if strikes induce electoral candidates to prioritize education issues and ultimately impact funding for public education. We find that strikes more than double the probability that congressional candidates air education campaign ads. Strikes also shape broader support for education funding, resulting in over $600 increases in district revenues and expenditures per pupil.