10.2190/NP4X-N9AE-3FM6-NRE9 NP4XN9AE3FM6NRE9 0 PUBLIC EMPLOYEE BARGAINING LAWS AND THE PROPENSITY TO STRIKE: THE CASE OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS 20020509 20020509 20020509 20020509 http://baywood.metapress.com/link.asp?target=contribution&id=NP4XN9AE3FM6NRE9 1 ROBERT J. THORNTON AND ANDREW R. WEINTRAUB Some observers of teacher bargaining postulate that the formal granting of collective bargaining rights is responsible for the rise in strike activity, while others claim that such legislation has had a dampening effect on the propensity to strike. The frequency of teacher strike activity is analyzed for twenty-seven states with permissive teacher bargaining statutes for the periods preceding and pursuant to the enactment of such legislation. It is concluded that there has been a strong tendency for teachers' strike activity to increase noticeably following the passage of teacher bargaining statutes.