D.C. In states where forced unionism is legal, teachers are forced to join either the NEA or AFT in order to keep their jobs. Forced dues are sent to the respective union headquarters to pay for political lobbying and high salaries of union leaders, usually ten times higher than the average teacher s salary. Union leader benefits are also ten times better than the average teacher s benefits. In 1976, the NEA aligned itself with the Democrat Party and vigorously endorsed Jimmy Carter. The NEA has endorsed only Democrats for president since 1977.
Strikes are illegal.
Strikes would be legal and schools could be shut down while school boards and unions brutally battle each other trying to settle their differences. The political partisanship of unions has hurt teachers and education in general. The NEA is painfully aware that its image as a Democrat organization does not serve it well when Republicans control local, state and national offices, including the U.S. Congress. The NEA is seeking desperately to shed its image as an obstacle to education reform and as a politically partisan organization. It is searching for Republicans whose views don t give it indigestion to support in political campaigns.