Final bell for teacher decision on union membership

Today marks the final day for Minnesota educators to reevaluate their relationship with the union and take control of their paychecks and professional voices.

With the 30-day opt-out window closing until next September, teachers who do not want their union membership and dues authorization to automatically renew tomorrow must let Education Minnesota know their decision today. Customized letters dated Sept. 30 can be created here, and we recommend getting your letter postmarked and in the mail before the end of the day. Emailing a copy to the union and letting them know it is in the mail is also a good idea. (All the information is on the Educated Teachers website.)

For many teachers, this is a big decision. The union has been part of the education culture and power-structure for decades. Even those who do not want to pay dues pay anyway, for a variety of reasons. But there are also thousands of educators who have decided, for a variety of reasons, to exercise their personal freedom and not be part of the union.

Whatever the reason, allowing educators to decide where their hard-earned money goes and who speaks on their behalf is pro-teacher. Teachers dedicate their career to others, and if the union no longer reflects their values and priorities, the personal decision they make for themselves regarding union membership should be respected.

These last several weeks, I have heard from teachers who have already resigned and from some who are still thinking about this new choice. Saying “no thanks” to union membership doesn’t make an educator less committed to their students or their colleagues; it simply means they are choosing what’s right for them and letting the union know it doesn’t speak for every educator and shouldn’t hold a monopoly on their voice.

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From the curious to the skeptical, below are 25 facts on union membership and opting out that are worth sharing with a teacher.

• Liability coverage is available outside of union membership. Minnesota educators, there are excellent liability insurance options available outside of union membership for a fraction of the cost of dues and without the politics.
• Union membership status doesn’t affect salary or benefits. Minnesota educators, your salary and benefits are provided by your employer — the school district — not the union. The union fought to represent both members and non-members as the exclusive representative and therefore negotiates a contract with employers on behalf of all employees.
• Union membership status doesn’t affect seniority or tenure. Minnesota educators, you will not lose seniority or tenure if you opt-out from the union. The union fought to be the exclusive representative over teachers regardless of membership status, and therefore the contract it negotiates with the employer — which includes salary schedules, seniority, etc. — covers all employees.
• Employers can’t discriminate against teachers based on union membership status. Minnesota educators, your school district cannot discriminate or retaliate against you based on your union membership status.
• Teachers cannot be required to join a union. Minnesota educators, you are not required to join a teachers’ union. Union membership paperwork may be included in onboarding materials but does not need to be filled out in order to keep your job.
• Non-members cannot be required to pay union dues or fees. Minnesota educators, you are not required to financially support a union through either union dues or fees in order to keep your job.
• Teachers have the right to join a professional association. Minnesota educators, you have the right as a non-member to join a professional educator association that offers liability coverage, job protection benefits, professional development opportunities, and more.
• Teachers are not alone in their decision to resign from union membership. Minnesota educators, thousands of teachers have decided union membership is not right for them. Make the decision that is right for you. You are not alone!
• Teachers cannot be fired for not being a union member. Minnesota educators, you cannot be fired from your job for not belonging to a union. It is illegal for a school or other employer to discriminate against you for exercising this right. 
• The union cannot retaliate against teachers for being non-members. Minnesota educators, it is illegal for the union to retaliate or discriminate against employees who exercise their constitutional right not to join or support the union.
• Teachers can always rejoin if the union starts better representing them and their professional needs. Minnesota educators, while the union only lets you opt-out of membership during the month of September, you can always rejoin if you feel the union starts better representing you and your professional needs. 
• Union membership status does not affect pensions. Minnesota educators, your defined benefit pension and 403(b) are offered as benefits by your district employer, not by the union. Pensions are not subject to collective bargaining in Minnesota, though the union does lobby on the issue. Union members and non-members have the same pension benefits.
• Union dues are used for politics. Outside of the PAC contribution, union dues get spent on “political activities and lobbying,” as reported by Education Minnesota. Additionally, Minnesota dues get spent by two national teachers’ unions for political purposes as well. 
• Non-members do not get to vote on the collective bargaining contract. But because the union fought to be the exclusive representative — which is why teachers cannot negotiate their own salary if they wanted to — whatever is agreed upon in the contract will apply to both members and non-members in that bargaining unit. 
• New teachers do not have to join the union. Minnesota educators, joining the union is not required to start your new teaching job. Your employer and the union must get your affirmative consent before deducting any union dues from your paycheck. 
• No meeting is required to resign union membership. Minnesota educators, you are not required under the law, union contract, or under the union membership card to meet with your local union rep before opting out. Your decision is a private decision. 
• The opt-out window is the same every year. The annual window runs from Sept. 1-Sept. 30. The union is not likely to honor your membership resignation and dues revocation outside of those dates. 
• If teachers opted out last year, it is still in effect. Minnesota educators, if you opted out of the union last year, and did not sign any new membership forms, your resignation is still in effect and you do not need to send in future opt-out letters.
• Non-members are not “freeloaders” or “free riders.” Such claims are disingenous. Government unions fought for — and won — the right to represent all employees within the collective bargaining unit, regardless of membership status. If the union only wants to represent dues-paying members, it could lobby (as it does on many other issues) to change the law to this. 
• Union membership is a personal decision. The right to say “no thanks” to union membership is just as important as the right to say “yes” to it. And it’s important that respect exists for that choice. 
• You are not selfish for exercising your rights. Minnesota educators, you are not selfish if you decide union membership is not the best option for you and your professional needs. Having choices empowers teachers, and exercising your rights is a good and admirable thing. An association can’t serve you well if you are told you can never leave. 
• Don’t let the union pick your politics. The teachers’ union has a political history of almost exclusively, with rare exceptions, supporting one political party and its affiliates. But what about teachers who support a different candidate or political party? Or no party at all? Union members are forced to support the candidate the union favors, undermining their own political preferences. 
• Your voice matters. Minnesota educators, your voice matters. The union needs a wake-up call to refocus on what it was originally established to prioritize. 
• Make the decision that is best for you personally and professionally. Minnesota educators, you are entitled to make the decision about union membership for yourself with accurate information and without fear of reprisal.
• Postmark your opt-out letter by Sept. 30! Minnesota educators, to be on the safe side and make sure the union honors your resignation, we encorage you to get your opt-out letter postmarked during the window. Find the quick and easy steps to mail and email it at EducatedTeachersMN.com.