NJEA MEMBERS – PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION
A Message and Petition from Dr. Marie Dupont – a U.S. Army Veteran, Haitian Immigrant, and longtime Roselle, New Jersey, Public School Teacher
Dear Friends and Colleagues of NJEA:
As NJEA members, we trust our dues will strengthen classrooms, support teachers, and benefit students: not bankroll political campaigns. But last year, $45 million of our hard-earned dues was diverted into Sean Spiller’s failed run for governor. That’s money that could have put $225 into the hands of every teacher for classroom supplies or funded real professional development across our schools.
When I questioned this spending in an open letter to NJEA leadership, I was met with silence. Pressing further, I attended the NJEA Summer Leadership Conference, only to be removed under what I believe was the pretext of a membership issue, despite being fully registered. No teacher should be punished for asking where our money is going.
This is bigger than one campaign. If NJEA leadership can funnel away $45 million without our knowledge or consent, what’s to stop them from doing it again in the next election cycle. Teachers deserve transparency, accountability, and a voice in how our dues are spent..
Best regards,
Marie M. Dupont
NJEA leadership spent $45 million of our hard-earned dues to pay for Sean Spiller’s campaign expenses when he ran for Governor. Our money went to giant billboards, television and online advertising, thousands and thousands of mailers, and other questionable spending.
New Jersey teachers should not be forced to pay for Sean Spiller’s campaign bills.
This money could have been used to help us pay for school supplies, teacher development and support, and to strengthen our local unions. Instead, it was taken away from us and spent without our approval while NJEA leadership hid the truth from us.
This must never happen again.
#1 Tell Us How $45 Million of Our Dues Were Spent: The NJEA must hire an independent auditor to report back during this year’s NJEA Convention on how every dollar of the $45 million of our dues was spent on Sean Spiller’s campaign for governor.
#2 NJEA Leadership Must Apologize for Spending Our Dues and Hiding the Truth from Us: Sean Spiller and current NJEA leadership must publicly apologize to members during this year’s NJEA Convention for spending our dues while hiding the truth from members.
#3 NJEA Leadership Should Never Be Allowed To Do This Again: NJEA leadership must publicly commit during this year’s NJEA Convention to a new policy that member dues cannot be spent on politics without explicit approval from members.
#4 NJEA Leadership Must Allow Members to Express Themselves without Fear of Retaliation: NJEA leadership must publicly commit to maintaining a climate where members can question and even dissent from NJEA leadership without fear of retaliation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Our goal is to inform you of your rights and the facts. Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) and our answers to help you make the best decision for you and your family. If we’ve missed something, please feel free to contact us with your questions HERE.
If I inform the Business Administrator that I want to stop paying dues, when will the district actually stop withholding dues from my paycheck (my “effective date”)?
If you were hired before May 18, 2018, you can notify the Business Administrator at any time, but the “effective date” when the district will stop withholding dues from your paycheck is either July 1 or January 1, whichever comes first after you give notice. If you were hired May 18, 2018 or later, you can notify the Business Administrator at any time, but your “effective date” will be 30 days after the anniversary of your hiring date. So if you were hired on September 1, your next “effective date” would be October 1, 2023.
If I leave the NJEA, will my job or salary or benefits be affected?
No, all teachers and paraprofessionals, including those who are not in the union, are covered by the same collective bargaining agreement. Your job, salary, tenure, seniority and health benefits will all stay the same and will continue to be controlled by the collective bargaining agreement, not by the union. If you experience problems with any of these issues, please contact us HERE.
If I leave the NJEA, can I still get liability insurance?
Yes. For a fraction of the costs of your union dues any New Jersey teacher can still receive liability insurance. You can obtain liability insurance from a broad array of reputable insurance companies, or through teachers’ associations like the Association of American Educators, Christian Educators, or American Public Servants Association.
If I leave the NJEA, can I still get disability insurance?
Yes. NJEA members who purchase disability insurance must pay for it in addition to their annual dues. As a non-member, there are a variety of options available to you. Many insurance companies provide disability insurance and are competitive with what the NJEA is currently charging you. Similar options are also available from teachers’ associations like the Association of American Educators, Christian Educators, or American Public Servants Association.
For additional information on obtaining disability insurance as a non-NJEA member, please see the Americans For Fair Treatment webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbxiBm1KZ9c.
Can the NJEA retaliate against me?
No, it is illegal for the NJEA or the local union to retaliate against you. You have legal protections against any retaliation. If you feel you are being retaliated against, please contact Sunlight’s legal team HERE.
Will my colleagues think I’m selfish to opt out of paying union dues?
This is a common fear, but most folks respect your right to join the association of your choice. A survey of education professionals indicated that 90% of professionals respect the right of their colleagues to join the association of their choice. Exercising your legal right as a professional is never selfish.
If I leave the NJEA, will my tenure or seniority be affected?
No, union membership will have no impact on your tenure or seniority. As a non-member, your tenure and seniority will continue to be controlled by the collective bargaining agreement, not the union.
If I leave the NJEA, will my pension or retirement health benefits change?
No, your pension and retirement health benefits are yours as a teacher or paraprofessional, not as a NJEA member. The state provided those to you and will be responsible for them when you retire, not the union.
If I leave the NJEA, can I get similar legal representation for job-related issues?
Yes, if you join a teachers’ association like the Association of American Educators, Christian Educators, or American Public Servants Association, you will get job-related legal representation as part of your membership at a fraction of the cost of your NJEA dues.
What if my Business Administrator is unresponsive or refuses to stop taking union dues out of my paycheck?
It is against the law for your Business Administrator to refuse your request that they stop taking dues out of your paycheck. If your Business Administrator is unresponsive or refuses to honor your request, please contact Sunlight’s New Jersey legal team HERE. We stand ready to help you exercise your 1st Amendment rights.
How To Stop Paying Dues
There are two steps to stopping union dues from being taken out of your paycheck:
1. Notifying your district Business Administrator that you want them to stop taking union dues out of your paycheck.
2. Resigning from the union.
Stopping Dues
- You can notify your district Business Administrator at any time that you want them to stop taking dues out of your paycheck.
- Simply send your district Business Administrator an email saying you want them to stop taking union dues out of your paycheck. That’s it. That’s your official notice. We recommend that you copy the Payroll Department on your email and keep a copy of your correspondence for your own records. Here is a sample email you can use. SAMPLE EMAIL.
- Ask the district Business Administrator to acknowledge receipt of your email and for the actual date when they will stop taking union dues out of your paycheck. If you use Sunlight’s SAMPLE EMAIL, these requests are already included. Please see the FAQ section above for when they are required to stop taking dues out of your paycheck (your “effective date,” which depends on when you were hired). When they tell you a date, be sure to follow up a few weeks before that date to make sure they will do what they are required to do.
- If your Business Administrator is unresponsive or refuses to stop taking out dues from your paycheck, you have legal protections and we are here to support you. Please contact our legal team HERE.
Resigning from the union
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- Many districts require that you also resign from the union in order to stop paying dues. In order to stop paying dues as soon as possible, we recommend that you resign from your union at the same time you notify the Business Administrator that you want to stop paying dues. This will lessen the chance for delays due to interference from the union.
- We recommend that you notify the union of your desire to resign in writing or by email so you have a record of your request. The union may make you go through their administrative process and try to persuade you to change your mind, but they cannot legally stop you from resigning.
- If the union is unresponsive or refuses to let you resign, you have legal protections and we are here to support you. Please contact our legal team HERE
