Consultation Agreements

Texas is a “right to work” (RTW) state, which sounds like it protects individual freedom—but here’s what it really means: workers are allowed to join a union, but they’re also allowed to benefit from the union’s hard work without contributing anything. In other words, they can free-ride—getting the protections, advocacy, and improvements the union wins, without paying their fair share to support it.

To make things harder, Texas law explicitly bans collective bargaining for public school employees. That right is reserved only for police, fire, and EMS. Teachers, support staff, and other school workers are denied the legal right to negotiate binding contracts.

But thanks to the leadership of the late Texas AFT President Linda Bridges, we have the next best thing here in Austin: Elective Consultation.

Under this system, Education Austin has been elected by AISD employees as their sole consultation agent—meaning we are the official voice representing all non-supervisory staff when negotiating with the district on key issues like wages, benefits, safety, and working conditions.

AISD policy defines consultation as a process of “advice, counsel, and exchange of information” that helps shape district decisions. Through this process, we reach agreements that can either be adopted into official board policy or stand alone as enforceable agreements—real wins that improve working conditions for everyone.

So even in a state that stacks the deck against educators, we’re still organizing, still negotiating, and still winning. Every consultation victory is proof that when we stick together, we have power.