Contact: Marsha Richards, Communications Director
(360) 956-3482

PDC refers union case to AG
EFF calls for thorough investigation

OLYMPIA, WA - Washington’s Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) found the National Education Association (NEA) guilty today of “apparent multiple violations” of a state law that requires the union to get permission from non-member teachers* before spending their money to advance political causes.

Commissioners referred the case to Attorney General Christine Gregoire for further action, saying their ability to penalize falls short of the magnitude of the violations.

The complaint against the NEA was filed in January by the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, a non-profit public policy research organization. The union’s state affiliate (WEA) was found guilty of identical violations last year and ordered by a judge to pay a $400,000 fine and refund teachers nearly $200,000.

“Attorney General Gregoire thoroughly investigated the WEA last year, and we expect she will do the same with the NEA,” said Bob Williams, EFF’s president. “Citizens and teachers deserve to know the magnitude of the NEA’s illegal political spending.”

In a recent court hearing, NEA attorneys made it clear the union has already pursued settlement negotiations with Gregoire, but EFF contends any settlement made before a serious investigation would be based on the NEA’s own word and a cursory initial investigation.

“NEA officials will try anything to keep the Attorney General out of their books,” said Williams. “Our investigations show that almost everything the union does is political. That’s why we can expect the NEA to aggressively pursue a settlement.”

The NEA’s general counsel, Robert Chanin, clearly stated in November 2000: “You tell me how I can possibly separate NEA’s collective bargaining from politics-you just can’t. . . . It’s all politics.”

NEA attorney Richard Wilcoff argued before the PDC today that the amount of money illegally spent was just a “tiny fraction” of the union’s overall budget, so any violations were “de minimis.” That argument was rejected by PDC Chair Michael Connelly.

“Simply because you’re large doesn’t change the standard of conduct we have to follow,” said Connelly.

Last year more than 1,500 citizens contacted the Attorney General’s office to ask for a thorough investigation in the case against the WEA.

* Teachers who opt out of the union become “agency fee payers.” They are required to pay fees equal to regular union dues (average annual dues: $733). State law strictly prohibits the use of agency fees for political activity without permission from individual teachers.

Evergreen Freedom Foundation P.O. Box 552, Olympia, WA 98507 Phone: (360) 956-3482, Fax: (360) 352-1874 Email: effwa@effwa.org