Same up here - the public school unions are the worst. They are, however, loaded with money, and are powerful beyond belief.
I also loathe the union mentality. I say that nobody should be able to teach until they have first spent at least 10 years in the REAL world work force.
I agree with that work rule (private sector).
In the university setting this is so much more critical, because these young kids are being taught terrible principals by people who have never worked a day in the real world.