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Chester County Press

National teachers' association losing members

07/30/2014 03:05PM ● By Lev

By Uncle Irvin

At their recent convention, the National Education Association teachers' union admitted to losing 194,000 members. The union predicts another loss of 55,000 members in the next two years.

Each active member pays $180 in annual dues to the national union and another $700 to its state and local affiliates. All four local school districts have state (PSEA) and local affiliates. In each of the these school districts, the union has negotiated a provision in their contract that union dues be deducted from all teacher salaries without the teachers' consent.

It is indeed heartening that teachers' union membership is shrinking, mainly because most teachers resent the mandatory membership and political stance. If bills on the floor of the State House and State Senate are passed by the end of the legislative session, the teachers' union will wither away. Payroll protection legislation in Pennsylvania would abolish mandatory dues payments.

Without member dues, which all come from taxpayers, the unions will not be able to lobby and contribute to legislator campaigns. Now all issues advocated by the union are anti-taxpayer and are paid for by taxes from opponents of teachers' union issues.

These payroll protection bills must be voted on, and when they are, you will see which state senators and legislators support their constituents, or the lobbyists who contribute to their campaigns.