Creating a Yoga Guild: The Case for Unionizing Yoga Teachers

I wanna start this essay by saying that I have come to this essay as the inevitable conclusion of the work that I have been doing in my market analysis of the yoga industrial complex (system). Like many things that I spent months researching inside tgis system, the conclusions were clear: because Yoga is inherently steeped in values like compassion, social responsibility, and friendliness, the production of yoga requires so many intangible stocks that the industry is a nonlinear system. This means we have to use behavior analysis to forecast trends as opposed to basic input output data. Thats the hard kind of systems theory.

When I was 17 years old, the Navy wanted me to join their nuclear program and would have provided me huge scholarships. As a boy who could not afford higher education at the school that he chose and was accepted to, I strongly considered the Navy’s option. My brother had been in the Navy. The truth was, there was there a chance I was going to go back into the closet just to join. Two years later, one of my good friend’s boyfriends was kicked out of the Navy when his roommate found their texts and reported him. The early 2000s were wild.

The point is, i can see where the industry is going, because this is how my brain works, and it doesn’t take a genius to see the numbers. Since 2001, the yoga industry has grown into a multi-billion dollar market. Yet, those on the ground—fellow yoga teachers at the heart of the practice—often find themselves in precarious working conditions. Many face low wages, lack of job security, and an industry that fails to support full-time professionals. It’s time to explore the potential of organizing yoga teachers into a guild or union to protect their rights, wages, and well-being.

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The Need for Collective Organization

The current structure of the yoga industry places teachers at a disadvantage. Unlike professions with clear paths for advancement, set wages, and job security, yoga teaching is often an unstable career. Teachers are typically paid per class, with no benefits, and are expected to compete for limited teaching spots at studios. As studios focus on profit margins, teachers bear the brunt of cost-cutting measures—reduced wages, fewer hours, and minimal support for professional development.

This is where a yoga guild or union could play a transformative role. By organizing collectively, teachers could negotiate fairer wages, secure benefits like healthcare, and ensure that their labor is valued. A guild would offer the support structure that many yoga teachers currently lack, creating an industry where teaching yoga could become a viable long-term profession rather than a side gig.

Learning from Other Professions

The idea of forming a guild or union is not new. Other creative and skilled professions have organized successfully, setting precedents that the yoga industry can draw upon. For example, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) was created to protect the rights of actors, ensuring fair wages, benefits, and working conditions. Hairstylists, too, have benefited from collective organization, which has led to better pay structures, apprenticeships, and career advancement opportunities.

These unions and guilds operate on the principle of collective bargaining—coming together to demand better treatment, wages, and working conditions. In industries like acting, writing, and hairstyling, this has been vital in ensuring that workers receive fair compensation for their labor. Yoga teachers, like actors and writers, perform specialized, skilled work. And just as actors and writers have unionized to protect their craft, so too could yoga teachers.

Shifting Power Dynamics in the Yoga Industry

One of the biggest challenges in the yoga industry is the power imbalance between studio owners and teachers. Studio owners, especially in larger franchises, hold the majority of the decision-making power, while teachers are often seen as replaceable. Without collective organization, teachers are left negotiating individually for their pay and benefits, which often results in exploitation, low wages, and burnout.

A yoga guild could help level the playing field by giving teachers a collective voice. Through unionization, teachers would have the power to negotiate minimum pay rates, benefits, and better working conditions. This shift in power dynamics would not only benefit teachers but could also improve the overall quality of yoga instruction. When teachers are paid fairly and feel secure in their work, they can focus on delivering high-quality instruction rather than worrying about making ends meet.

Moreover, a guild could also provide professional development opportunities, mentorship, and resources for teachers to continue their education. By fostering a sense of community among yoga professionals, a guild would encourage collaboration and shared growth, rather than competition. In this way, collective organization could enrich the yoga community, benefiting both teachers and students.

A Path Forward

Creating a yoga guild would require overcoming several challenges. The yoga industry is diverse, with teachers working in a range of settings—from corporate studios to private practice to gyms. This fragmentation makes organizing more difficult, but not impossible. The key would be to start with common goals—fair wages, benefits, and job security—and build from there.

For such a guild to be successful, it would need buy-in from teachers across the spectrum, from those just starting out to veteran instructors. There would also need to be collaboration with studio owners, who may initially resist the idea of unionization but could ultimately benefit from a more stable and professional workforce. Collective organization does not have to be adversarial; in fact, it could create a more harmonious and sustainable yoga industry for all.

Additionally, a yoga guild would need to offer more than just labor protections. It could also serve as a hub for continued education, certification, and mentorship, helping to raise the overall standard of yoga teaching. By creating clear paths for professional growth, a guild could help teachers develop long-term careers, not just short-term jobs.

Conclusion

The yoga industry is at a crossroads. As it continues to grow, the need for collective organization has never been more urgent. A yoga guild or union could protect the rights of teachers, ensure fair compensation, and create a sustainable career path for yoga professionals. By looking to other industries that have successfully unionized, and by fostering collaboration within the yoga community, we can shift the power dynamics in the industry and build a system that supports both teachers and the practice of yoga itself.

I have been educating and organizing in Washington, DC for over a decade. This year, i recruited a team of independent professionals who wanted to level up amd find equity. In pleased to say this new system is working. Now, we need more professionals and practioners.

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