KEYSTONE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION
Legislation Frees Educators from Forced Union Fees
Earlier this week State Representatives Daryl Metcalfe, Kathy Rapp, Fred Keller, Jim Cox, Jerry Knowles and Stephen Bloom introduced a
Right to Work package of bills that frees public and private employees from being forced to pay union fees as a condition of employment and allows
employees to opt out of their union membership at any time. Currently, over 75% of Pennsylvania educators must either join their teacher’s union or be forced
to pay an annual union fee of approximately $460.
By what ethical argument should a public employee be forced to support a private organization in order to work in a public job?
Furthermore, since when should an educator’s individual teaching ability, classroom discipline and management skills, integrity, experience and
personality be subordinate by whether he or she will join or support the union. In that circumstance, the community and its students are hardly served.
Moreover, the presence of a union shop agreement, also known as “fair share fee”, removes any leverage whatsoever that the District’s
teachers might exercise in dissent against the union leadership. Absent the previous threat of membership withdrawal, there may be no urgency in
accommodating concerns of its members, even if those concerns might be beneficial to the District and its students.
KEYTA is not anti-union, just non-union. We feel that educators should have the freedom to choose to associate or not associate with
the organization of their choice without being subjected to mandatory union fees (fair share fees) if they abstain from full union membership. KEYTA would
fully support any “local only” bargaining unit where both union members and non-union members were allowed to vote on contract proposals.
Please contact your state Repersentatives and ask them to support this Right to Work legislative package, House Bills 50-54 and 250, so
that as an individual, you may decide whether or not you choose to join or support your union.
Those who truly believe in what they are saying and doing would never have to force those beliefs or actions onto anyone else. Forceful action is actually a sign of disbelief in the power of what one says they believe in.
The Keystone Teachers Association provides members with professional liability insurance, legal counsel at the onset of workplace
issues, a voice on education policy at the state and national government levels, newsletters, email updates, professional development, and much more.
For more information please visit our website at www.keyta.org.