baltimore teachers union

What baltimore teachers union does

The Baltimore Teachers Union (BTU) is a non-profit labor union that operates as Local 340 of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and is affiliated with the AFL-CIO. Headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, BTU is the exclusive collective bargaining representative for teachers, paraprofessionals and school-related personnel (PSRPs), and retirees of the Baltimore City Public Schools system. The union organizes three primary chapters — Teachers, PSRPs, and Retirees — and negotiates separate multi-year contracts for each group, with the current Teacher Chapter Contract running 2023-2026 and the PSRP Chapter Contract running 2024-2027.

BTU's core services are organized around collective bargaining, contract enforcement, and member support. These include negotiation of wages, benefits, and working conditions; administration of the negotiated agreements; professional development programs such as ParaPro testing, Make and Take Room resources, and certification/licensure support; member benefits including sick bank access, health benefits guidance, and Union Plus discount programs; and political and legislative advocacy through its COPE, Legislative, and Organizing committees. Strategic priorities in 2026 include the Repeal the MD No Strike Law campaign, the PSRP Bill of Rights, and participation in the Baltimore Black Lives Matter @ School Week of Action.

The union's business model is a recurring subscription model based on membership dues. Prospective members join through the AFT membership system at connect.aft.org, paying regular dues that fund BTU operations, negotiations, member benefits, and advocacy. Distribution and recruitment rely on a building representative (BR/ULR) network embedded at each school, field staff assigned to worksites, the BTU office, and digital channels (website, email newsletters, Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, Bluesky). Dues structure is not publicly disclosed. Revenue, headcount, and membership counts are not disclosed in available sources.

Name

baltimore teachers union

Legal name

Baltimore Teachers Union

Website

https://baltimoreteachers.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Baltimore Teachers Union (BTU) is a non-profit labor union and AFT Local 340 that serves as the exclusive collective bargaining representative for teachers, paraprofessionals, and retirees of Baltimore City Public Schools, funded through recurring membership dues processed via the AFT membership system.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Labor Union Services

NAICS

Labor Unions and Similar Labor Organizations (81393), Labor Unions and Similar Labor Organizations (813930)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Labor Relations & Union Management Training (EDABAIAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Labor, Employment Standards & Occupational Licensing Boards (BPAIAOAF), Teacher Workforce & Professional Standards Policy Research (EDADADAG)

Keywords

• Labor union representation
• Collective bargaining services
• Educator advocacy
• Professional development
• Member benefits programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Union Membership Dues: The BTU generates revenue through membership dues paid by teachers, paraprofessionals (PSRPs), and school-related personnel. Members join through the AFT (American Federation of Teachers) membership system, paying regular dues to fund union operations, negotiations, member benefits, and advocacy activities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Baltimore Teachers Union provides collective bargaining representation, contract negotiation and enforcement, professional development programs, certification support, legislative advocacy, and member benefits for teachers, paraprofessionals (PSRPs), and retirees employed by or formerly employed by Baltimore City Public Schools. Operating as Local 340 of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), it is the exclusive bargaining representative for these employees and structures its services around chapters (Teacher Chapter, PSRP Chapter, Retiree Chapter) and committees (COPE, Legislative, Organizing, Special Education, etc.). Revenue is generated through recurring membership dues collected via the AFT portal.

Product overview

Baltimore Teachers Union operates a membership organization website providing union services, member benefits, contract information, professional development resources, and advocacy tools for teachers and school personnel in Baltimore City Public Schools. The website serves as a portal for membership management, legislative advocacy (including right-to-strike campaigns), certification support, and member communications. The organization is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and offers member benefits through Union Plus programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Collective Bargaining Representation (Teacher Chapter Contract) Statutorily-mandated collective bargaining representation negotiating wages, benefits, and working conditions for certified teachers employed by Baltimore City Public Schools. The current Teacher Chapter Contract covers the 2023-2026 period and includes MOUs on Special Education and evaluations.
• PSRP Chapter Collective Bargaining (Paraprofessionals and School-Related Personnel) Collective bargaining representation and contract enforcement for paraprofessionals, aides, assistants, and school-related personnel in Baltimore City Public Schools. The current PSRP Chapter Contract covers 2024-2027 and includes pay scales, substitute pay, and addenda on job classifications and titles.
• ParaPro Testing at BTU On-site administration of the ParaPro Assessment for BTU members and prospective members pursuing paraprofessional certification in Baltimore City Public Schools.
• Make and Take Room (Professional Development) Physical workspace and resource room where BTU members can create instructional materials for classroom use, offered with seasonal hours and rates as part of BTU's professional development offerings.
• Certification/Licensure Support Program Support program for BTU members to navigate Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) educator licensure requirements, including recorded sessions on MSDE Educator Licensure Overview and ongoing support sessions for licensure renewal and certification issues.
• Member Benefits Programs (Union Plus / AFT) Access to AFT and Union Plus benefits programs for BTU members, including member discounts, health insurance guidance, sick bank access, and other benefits derived from national union affiliations.
• Legislative Advocacy Campaigns State and local legislative advocacy on behalf of BTU members, including the 2026 Legislative Priorities (PSRP Bill of Rights, planning time legislation) and the Repeal the MD No Strike Law campaign, coordinated through the Legislative Committee and COPE.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• American Federation of Teachers (AFT)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBTU is a local chapter of the AFT (American Federation of Teachers), AFL-CIO. The partnership provides access to AFT member benefits, national advocacy, professional development resources, and collective bargaining support. BTU members join through the AFT membership system.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Chicago Teachers Union: CTU is a large-city AFT-affiliated local representing Chicago Public Schools educators; it is directly comparable to BTU as a peer local teachers union with collective bargaining, legislative advocacy, and a similar urban school district context.
• Detroit Federation of Teachers: DFT is an AFT local representing Detroit Public Schools educators; comparable to BTU as a peer urban AFT affiliate with similar challenges around district funding, enrollment, and bargaining in a distressed urban district.
• United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA): UTLA is an AFT-affiliated local representing Los Angeles Unified educators; directly comparable to BTU in structure, scale, and reliance on collective bargaining plus political advocacy in a large urban school district.
• Philadelphia Federation of Teachers: PFT is an AFT local representing School District of Philadelphia educators; comparable to BTU as a peer urban AFT affiliate operating in a large, financially pressured city school system.
• Boston Teachers Union: BTU Boston is an AFT-affiliated local representing Boston Public Schools educators; comparable to Baltimore Teachers Union as a peer city-level AFT local with collective bargaining and professional development programs.
• Cleveland Teachers Union: CTU Cleveland is an AFT local representing Cleveland Metropolitan School District educators; directly comparable as a peer AFT affiliate in a mid-size urban district facing enrollment and funding headwinds similar to Baltimore.
• Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association: MTEA is an NEA-AFT affiliated local representing Milwaukee Public Schools educators; directly comparable to BTU as a peer city-level teachers union with collective bargaining and member services focus.
• Washington Teachers' Union: WTU Local 6 is an AFT affiliate representing DC Public Schools educators; directly comparable to BTU as a peer AFT local operating in a neighboring mid-Atlantic urban school district with similar policy environment.

Broad incumbents

• American Federation of Teachers (AFT): AFT is BTU's national parent affiliate and the broader incumbent federation under AFL-CIO; comparable as the umbrella organization providing bargaining resources, benefits programs, and legislative coordination that BTU accesses through membership.
• National Education Association (NEA): NEA is the other major national teachers union federation and competitor to AFT; relevant as a broad incumbent in the same K-12 educator representation space that shapes the bargaining and advocacy landscape BTU operates within.

Market position

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/btubaltimore
• Facebookfacebook.com/118446779842
• Instagraminstagram.com/btubaltimore

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about baltimore teachers union