Equity and Excellence in Education (2024)
Authors: Mario I. Suárez, Harper B. Keenan, Christina Cook. Mollie T. McQuillan, Lee Iskander, Bishop Owis, Daniel Gallardo-Zamora, and Christy Glass
Abstract: In this study, we use data from a sample of 296 trans PK-12 school workers in the United States and Canada to consider the impact of union membership on an educator population who may be disproportionately harmed by systemic inequalities. Using intersectionality and trans studies as frameworks with a QuantCrit analytical lens, we examined union membership for trans workers of Color across race/ethnicity, country, gender, and years of experience. We measured retention and emotional and physical safety and found that union membership predicts retention, emotional safety, and physical safety for trans school workers of Color. Our results suggest unionization not only benefits all trans workers, but it buffers the problematic retention and safety concerns for the most vulnerable: trans workers of Color.