Why do I pay dues?
It takes money to run an organization, like a church, a club, or a union. Union dues pay for contract negotiation expenses, office and support services, legal services, union newsletters and other communications, training for building representatives and members, and organizing.
SVEA protects the rights of our members, advocates on their behalf, assists them in resolving conflicts, answers their questions, offers suggestions, and listens to their concerns. It is SVEA's responsibility to negotiate with the school district on behalf of our members over wages, hours, and working conditions. In addition, we offer professional development and training opportunities to our members in a variety of subject areas throughout the school year.
Luckily, the members of the Snoqualmie Valley Education Association do not stand alone. Our Association cooperates closely with and receives significant support from the professional staff at the Sammamish UniServ Council, Washington Education Association, and National Education Association.
SVEA protects the rights of our members, advocates on their behalf, assists them in resolving conflicts, answers their questions, offers suggestions, and listens to their concerns. It is SVEA's responsibility to negotiate with the school district on behalf of our members over wages, hours, and working conditions. In addition, we offer professional development and training opportunities to our members in a variety of subject areas throughout the school year.
Luckily, the members of the Snoqualmie Valley Education Association do not stand alone. Our Association cooperates closely with and receives significant support from the professional staff at the Sammamish UniServ Council, Washington Education Association, and National Education Association.
How much are my dues?
Your dues vary depending on your FTE and whether you're a PAC member. If you work full-time (1.0 FTE) and belong to WEA-PAC and NEA-FCPE (PAC), your total dues for 2021-22 are $1,236.25. Dues for part-time members are less. These dues are split between NEA, WEA, Sammamish UniServ Council, and SVEA.
How are my dues spent?
Elected delegates to WEA-RA set WEA's organizational priorities each April.
SVEA, WEA, and NEA are a member-driven, democratically governed organizations. So members decide how dues dollars are spent.
SVEA's elected building representatives are part of the SVEA Representative Council which annually sets the budget according to the council's priorities. WEA and NEA both hold an annual Representative Assembly (RA) which are the chief policy making bodies. Once a year, local associations select more than 1,000 WEA members to gather for RA. The NEA RA is the world's largest democratic deliberative assembly. These annual meetings, which have a look and feel similar to a major political convention, provide a forum where WEA/NEA members can collaborate, debate and vote. Individual members and local associations submit New Business Items, New Resolutions or Amendments to Continuing Resolutions, Standing Rules, Bylaws, and WEA/NEA Constitution, which, when passed, set the organizational priorities for WEA/NEA for the coming year.
Regular membership dues and special assessments do not support political candidates' campaigns. Only optional WEA-PAC and NEA-FCPE dues go to support political campaigns of pro-educatioin, pro-union candidates.
Here is the 2020-21 WEA membership dues structure:
SVEA's elected building representatives are part of the SVEA Representative Council which annually sets the budget according to the council's priorities. WEA and NEA both hold an annual Representative Assembly (RA) which are the chief policy making bodies. Once a year, local associations select more than 1,000 WEA members to gather for RA. The NEA RA is the world's largest democratic deliberative assembly. These annual meetings, which have a look and feel similar to a major political convention, provide a forum where WEA/NEA members can collaborate, debate and vote. Individual members and local associations submit New Business Items, New Resolutions or Amendments to Continuing Resolutions, Standing Rules, Bylaws, and WEA/NEA Constitution, which, when passed, set the organizational priorities for WEA/NEA for the coming year.
Regular membership dues and special assessments do not support political candidates' campaigns. Only optional WEA-PAC and NEA-FCPE dues go to support political campaigns of pro-educatioin, pro-union candidates.
Here is the 2020-21 WEA membership dues structure:
Here is the 2020-21 NEA membership dues structure:
