To opt out of AEA dues:
- Enter your information into the form below and click “submit.”
- On the resulting page, click the link to open your customized form. You will also receive an email with a link to your form.
- Print the form. If you check the appropriate box about needing a printed version, we’ll mail you a copy of the form.
- Sign and date the form, and make two copies.
- Mail the completed form to the address at the top of the form. We highly recommend sending it via certified mail.
- Provide a copy to your employer’s payroll officer and keep a copy for your files.
The Arizona Education Association (AEA) is the designated union for over 20,000 teachers and other public school employees in Arizona.
Those who find themselves in a union-represented workplace should know that Arizona law has long protected public employees from being forced to financially support a union against their will. Furthermore, the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 decision in Janus v. AFSCME reaffirmed that all public employees have a constitutional right to choose for themselves whether to pay any union dues or fees.
You can opt out of AEA dues by filling out the form above, printing it and mailing it to the union.
Frequently Asked Questions
In many cases, union dues are automatically deducted from employees’ paychecks. Monitor your paychecks to make sure the dues deductions stop. If the deductions continue for more than a couple pay periods after submitting your opt-out request, contact the union.
Finally, keep in mind:
Opting out is your constitutional right. However, unions like AEA sometimes place restrictions on when they will accept opt-out requests. If the union refuses to immediately cancel dues deductions from your pay, ask them to provide you with written documentation and contact us for assistance.
According to one of the union’s local affiliates, dues for AEA members can be as much as $777 per year. This includes an approximate $460 paid to AEA, $200 paid to NEA, and additional dues charged by local unions.
Most agreements between public employers and unions in Arizona recognize the union as the “exclusive” or “authorized” representative of all employees covered by the agreement, regardless of their formal union membership status. As a result, the terms of the union’s agreement apply equally to all employees, even if they cease paying dues.
No. Your employer – not the union or the union’s agreement – is ultimately responsible for the terms and conditions of your employment. Your compensation, health benefits, retirement, and anything else provided by the district will remain unchanged if you opt out of AEA.
While the terms of your employment will remain unchanged, union officials commonly prohibit nonmembers from participating in internal union affairs, such as attending union meetings, voting for union officers or participating in contract ratification votes. You’ll also be ineligible for any special “members only” benefits, such as discounts on additional insurance, scholarship programs, or deals the union has arranged with businesses. You may no longer receive the union newsletter or similar publications.
People have many reasons for not wanting to support the union. Some simply do not believe the services the union provides are worth the dues it charges. Others may find the union’s one-size-fits-all agenda does not serve them well because they are new to the profession, have a specialty that is not acknowledged in bargaining, or they believe their effectiveness is undercompensated. Some resent the union’s role in enabling and defending underperforming employees. Many find the union’s political activity and use of dues to advance partisan causes, candidates and ideology distasteful. Still others believe that union officials are corrupt and unaccountable to their membership.
Unions representing public employees are not governed by the usual consumer protection or anti-trust laws, so abuses are common. Unions can charge whatever they wish. They can spend dues money on anything they want. Often, they do not have to disclose how dues money is spent to members. They can speak for employees without consulting or informing them. They can injure some members’ interests while advancing the interests of others. Unions even have the ability to prevent employees from getting help in their workplace from other sources. They are not governed by any obligation to provide quality service, and almost never have to seek approval of the people they represent in an election to continue as the exclusive representative.
Sometimes people have a faith-based objection to unions’ expenditures. To learn more about some of the major public unions’ expenditures in light of common faith beliefs, click here.
Arizona Education Association
AEA collected $7.4 million in dues and fees from its members in fiscal year 2024, according to 990 reports the union must file with the IRS.
In 2024 alone:
- $224,438 was spent on equipment rentals.
- $263,605 was spent on advertising and promotion
- $536,606 was spent on airfare, hotels, and travel for union staff.
- $6,722,202 was spent on salaries, compensation, and benefits for employees
AEA paid at least 51 officers and employees in 2024, nine of whom were paid six-figures. Randy Parraz, the former Executive Director, received the highest compensation at $240,925.
Additionally, AEA held $2.5 million in cash reserves as of fiscal year 2024, yet still operated at a deficit, spending nearly $1,000 more than it generated.
AEA’s most recent IRS 990 reports are available here: 2024, 2023, 2022.
A portion of the dues paid by AEA members goes to support the National Education Association, headquartered in Washington, D.C.
National Education Association
According to federal filings that the union is required to submit to the Department of Labor, NEA headquarters collected over $381 million from local affiliates through member dues in 2024.
In 2024 alone:
- $40.4 million was spent by NEA HQ on divisive political candidates, lobbying, and support for organizations engaged in political causes.
- $16.2 million was paid or contributed to largely ideologically driven organizations.
- $18.4 million was spent on conferences, events, and catering throughout the year.
- $13.7 million was spent on airfare, hotels, and travel. This figure includes a total amount of $1,117,652 charged at Caesar’s resort collection in Las Vegas, NV.
NEA HQ paid 693 employees in 2024, with 419 receiving six-figure salaries. NEA HQ’s President, Rebecca Pringle, was paid $481,161.
As of 2024, NEA HQ has accumulated a cash stockpile of $146,331,184.
NEA HQ’s most recent LM-2 reports are available here: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020.