Examining Novice Teachers’ Socialization Into Unions

Guided by New Structuralism theory, this work examines the context of novice teacher socialization as it relates to their attitudes regarding teacher unionism. Using survey data gathered from novice elementary and middle school teachers and their veteran colleagues across 10 districts, we identify differences between novice teachers and their veteran colleagues in their evaluation of union practices, and the extent to which novices’ evaluation of union practices are shaped by their interactions with their colleagues. The findings from this study have implications for understanding how novice teachers evaluate teacher unionism and the extent to which they are socialized into their local teacher unions through their collegial relationships.