Your Dues Working For You
Each of us pays a substantial amount for dues, and it is important to know that they are making a positive difference in our professional lives. I want to share with you just how these dues are spent at all levels of the Association.
At the NEA level your dues are spent as follows:
- Advocating factors critical to improving student readiness and achievement - 2.3%
- Advocating for the recruitment and retention of qualified teachers in every classroom - 1.9%
- Providing assistance for schools' reform efforts - 2%
- Educational Support Personnel issues - 0.3%
- Advocating for safe schools - 0.7%
- Advocating for increased state and federal funding for school construction - 1%
- Establishing partnerships in support of quality public schools - 2.3%
- Building bipartisan support for public education - 6%
- Establishing a clear public image of NEA as an effective, responsible advocate for public school quality - 3.2%
- Providing systems and strategies for recruiting and maintaining members in all categories - 0.7%
- Providing UniServ support, training, and technical and financial support directly to state and local associations and members - 37.4%
- Pro-actively addressing anti-public education initiatives such as vouchers, unregulated charters and corporate takeovers - 1.2%
- Expanding and maintaining advocacy systems for members, states, and local affiliates, including legal reimbursement programs that protect and enforce the rights of members - 18.8%
- Supporting increased participation in pro-public education coalitions - 6%
- Producing communication vehicles for NEA members, affiliate leaders and the public that provide a common understanding of Association priorities and easy access to information - 7%
- Implementing a governance process that fosters member participation and democratic decision making - 7%
- Providing funding for the growth of the National Foundation for the Improvement of Education Endowment Fund - 9%
- Maintaining a contingency fund to meet emergencies and unforeseen crises at the national, state and local levels - 1.3%
At the NTEA level your dues are spent as follows:
- Management 28% - This area includes building maintenance, mortgage, equipment, supplies, materials and staff.
- Local and Member Advocacy 58% - This area includes coordinated bargaining, contract administration, grievance, individual member assistance and new member involvement.
- Learning 3% - This area includes conferences, trainings and scholarships.
At the WEA Chinook level portion of your dues are spent as follows:
- Management 9% - This area includes administrative tasks, building management, Council site-based decision making, Executive Board/Council Meetings, grants, information/data sharing, internal relationship building, liaison program, local leader support, member growth, membership, Outlook, technology, WEALA (WEA Leadership Academy), WEA program delivery and WEA Representative Assembly.
- Local and Member Advocacy 59% - This area includes coordinated bargaining, developing strong locals, grievance, individual membership intervention, local effectiveness, new member involvement, PERC, probations and retirement.
- Learning 13% - This area includes assessments, cadre training, certification competencies, district site based decision making, education reform, EALRs, future seeking, inclusion, peer support, school to work and Student WEA.
- Outreach 8% - This area includes coalition building, community involvement, council outreach, external relationship building and media.
- Public Policy 6% - This area includes anti-education attacks, initiatives, referenda, levy support, lobbying, PEAC, partisan political elections and school board races.
- Reserve 5%
At the WEA level portion of your dues are spent as follows:
- Direct Assistance to Members and Local Associations 40% - Professional assistance to members and affiliates, bargaining assistance, grievance processing, local crisis assistance, UniServ, political, research and communications assistance. On-site organizing assistance to school employees seeking representation rights.
- Advocacy Programs 27% - Legal assistance to individual members and local associations in defense of their rights; legal support for legally negotiated contracts; publications to members and leaders; assistance in crises, public relations training of leaders, news media activities, and membership recruitment materials; professional seminars, workshops, training programs, minority involvement programs, and women's programs; assistance to locals in training and professional development; assistance to committees and commissions; representation before legislative and governmental bodies; and cost of informational materials.
- Organizational Administration 19% - Business operations, including fiscal programs, building costs, personnel management and operations, taxes, central office telephones, utilities, and security; computerized help in bargaining, research, accounting, and membership records; governmental services and professional development; and accounting of membership and dues, mailing lists and labels, enrollment forms, and processing of memberships.
- Affiliate Services 4% - Specialized collective bargaining support to WEA affiliates; training as it relates to collective bargaining and contact enforcement; crisis assistance; research costs for aiding locals in contracts; salary schedules, and budget analyses; and research on legislative matters.
- Governance of Association 5% - WEA Representative Assembly, WEA Board of Directors, Executive Committee, officers, NEA convention, committees and commissions, special committees, and task forces.
- Administration of Association 5% - Executive offices and contingency fund.