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PSEA: Where did your union dues go in 2020?

Teachers and other PSEA members fund a web of progressive organizations and causes through their membership dues. In addition, every PSEA member must pay NEA dues of $200/year for full time teachers, despite NEA’s overtly political expenditures.

50%
  • 50% of NEA’s member dues went towards political or related activities.
  • Both PSEA and NEA use their own PACs to collect and spend political money.

2018 Janus v. AFSCME Supreme Court Decision

was a big win for nonmembers and relieved them from
the obligation to pay any fees to the union as a condition
of public employment. However, for teachers who remain
PSEA members, Janus changed NOTHING about how
union dues are spent, meaning they can still be used for
political purposes.

PSEA’s SPENDING BREAKDOWN Data provided by U.S. Department of Labor ("LM-2" Financial Report, Nov. 2020) $3.9M of member dues were spent on “political activities and lobbying.” ONLY 21% of spending went towards “representational activities,” such as collective bargaining negotiations, handling grievances, and arbitration proceedings.

Since 2010, PSEA spent $37M of member dues on “political activities & lobbying.”

Nearly 69% of PSEA’s overall spending went towards running the union, including: salaries, union employee health and retirement benefits, general overhead, multiple union leadership conferences, and purchase of investments and fixed assets (ie. land, buildings, and cars).

THE RECEIPTS ADD UP

Data provided by U.S. Department of Labor (“LM-2” Financial Report, Nov. 2020)

$1.8M Political mailings and advocacy materials $1.5M Union officer and employee compensation for their political and lobbying activities $800K Internal PSEA account “Fund for Student Success," a 527 independent expenditure committee, which is a political organization able to raise unlimited funds to influence "an issue, policy, appointment or election, be it federal, state or local," according to Opensecrets.org $65K Pennsylvania Spotlight, a progressive news organization $50K PR consulting firm Shelly Lyons, billed as a contribution to the progressive CLEAR Coalition $31K Keystone Research Center, a progressive policy institute in Pennsylvania $29K For Our Future Action, a PAC that hires organizers to mobilize voters on behalf of progressive candidates and issues $25K PA Alliance Action, a committee that funds Democratic candidates in Pennsylvania
NEA’S SPENDING BREAKDOWN 33% CONTRIBUTIONS, GIFTS, & GRANTS 16% GENERAL OVERHEAD 14% POLITICAL ACTIVITIES & LOBBYING 14% EMPLOYEE BENEFITS 11% UNION ADMINISTRATION 10% REPRESENTATIONAL ACTIVITIES 2% DIRECT TAXES 1% PURCHASE OF INVESTMENTS & FIXED ASSETS
$50M+ in contributions from NEA to political organizations $20M+ increase from the year before (2019-2020)
NEAs EXPENDITURES Strategic Victory Fund, a super PAC that funnels money from donors to Democratic candidates and causes NEA Advocacy Fund, a super PAC started and run by the NEA The Good Land Committee, the fundraising arm of the Democratic National Convention State Engagement Fund, a progressive advocacy organization PA Alliance Action, a Pennsylvania-based super PAC that raises money for Democratic candidates and causes For Our Future Action Fund, an organization that advocates for progressive causes and candidates Priorities USA, the largest Democratic Party super PAC State Innovation Exchange, an organization that creates and advocates for progressive state-level legislation American Bridge To The 21st Century Foundation, a rapid response organization for democrats Committee on States, a group that coordinates donations to state-based progressive groups Democracy Alliance, an invitation-only network of progressive donors who agree to support a set of endorsed organizations America Votes, a coordination hub of the progressive community that mobilizes to change election law Main Street Advocacy, a group that supports moderate and centrist Republican congressional candidates against challengers from the left and right Fair Fight Action, a Georgia-based organization, founded by Stacey Abrams, that advocates for election law changes in the state Progressive Caucus Action Fund, the advocacy arm of the Congressional Progressive Caucus Project Keystone, a coalition of progressive groups organized to change Pennsylvania’s election laws Progressive State Leaders Committee, a progressive advocacy group Emerging American Minorities, a group that supports state-based Democratic organizations and advocacy groups Center For American Progress Action Fund, a national progressive advocacy organization founded by John Podesta Verified Voting Foundation, a Philadelphiabased organization that promotes the use of technology in elections Sixteen Thirty Fund, a super PAC that fought against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination
Download this report here.
Read the latest report here.