SEIU 925

To opt out of SEIU 925 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.
Mail the completed form to the address at the top of the form. We highly recommend sending it via certified mail.

Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 925 is the designated union for approximately 17,000 workers in Washington who work in education from early learning through higher education, as well as workers in local government and nonprofits.

For years, childcare providers were required to pay union dues to SEIU 925 as a condition of employment and the state automatically deducted union dues from providers’ Working Connections reimbursement checks.

However, because of the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 2014 decision in Harris v. Quinn, family child care providers can now demand that SEIU 925 cease withholding union dues/fees from their state paychecks.

The court referred to the requirement for partial-public employees like family child care providers to pay union dues as a money-making “scheme” for the union and ruled that the mandatory dues requirement violated providers’ First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and association.

You can opt out of SEIU 925 dues by filling out the form above and sending it to SEIU.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I have to do in order to get the SEIU to stop deducting dues from my checks?

Family child care providers who wish to opt out of paying dues to support SEIU 925 simply have to fill out the form above and mail it to the union at the address provided. It’s a good idea to send the letter via certified mail or a similar service that provides you with proof of delivery.

Will I still be able to serve Working Connections clients and receive state reimbursements if I opt-out of SEIU 925 dues?

Yes. Under state law, the union contract for family child care providers is binding on all providers in the state, regardless of whether they want to be union represented and regardless of whether they choose to pay union dues. Opting out of paying dues will in no way affect your ability to accept state-paid clients.

If I resign from the union and stop paying dues, will I lose my health insurance?

No. Health insurance is offered through the SEIU Healthcare NW Health Benefits Trust, not SEIU 925. Even though it has “SEIU” in the name, the Trust is separate from the union. According to its website, the Trust is “a nonprofit entity that operates independently of SEIU and participating employers.” The state pays the Trust every month to offer health insurance to entitled licensed providers. As long as you continue to meet the eligibility requirements listed in Article 12.4 of the collective bargaining agreement, you will continue to be able to purchase insurance through the Trust even if you no longer pay union dues to SEIU 925.

How much are SEIU 925 dues?

According to federal filings, SEIU 925 collects 1.7% of its members’ salaries in dues, up to $1,560 per year. In 2022, the average member paid a total of $795.

Can the union retaliate against me if I opt out of paying dues?

No. SEIU 925 has arranged to be the “exclusive bargaining representative” for all family child care providers in the state, meaning that it is impossible for providers to get out of the terms of the contract, even if they cease paying dues.

Article 4.2 of the collective bargaining agreement even provides, “no provider shall be discriminated against, intimidated, restrained or coerced in or on account of the exercise of any rights granted by statute or this Agreement, or on account of membership or non-membership in or lawful activities on behalf of the Union.”

If I stop paying dues, will I still be able to receive scholarships and incentives for family child care related training and education?

Yes. Under the state’s contract with the union, training and education scholarships, reimbursements and incentives are available to all providers, regardless of union membership status.

How will my relationship with the union change if I resign my membership in SEIU 925 and stop paying dues?

While the terms of SEIU 925’s contract will still apply to you and your relationship with your client and the state will remain unchanged as a nonmember of SEIU 925, you will no longer be able to participate in internal union affairs, such as attending union meetings, participating in contract ratification votes or voting for union officers.

How does SEIU 925 spend my dues money?

SEIU Local 925

SEIU 925 does not function like a traditional union. It cannot represent providers in workplace disputes or grievances, because family child care providers have an employer-employee relationship with their families, not the state. The core of SEIU 925’s activity involves negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement with the state once every two years.

Despite its limited role, SEIU 925 collected $9.2 million in dues and fees from its members in 2022, according to reports the union must file with the U.S. Dept. of Labor.

In 2022 alone:

$1.7 million went to the national SEIU headquarters in Washington, D.C., to support its massive political, economic and social agenda. The national organization regularly supports a host of controversial organizations.
$560,000 was spent by SEIU 925 on political activity and lobbying.
$331,342 was spent on private attorneys and consultants.

SEIU 925 paid 43 officers and employees in 2022, twelve of whom were paid six figures. SEIU 925 executive vice president Patricia Schroeder was paid $129,009 in 2022.

Although it had a stockpile of $10.9 million in spare cash at the beginning of 2022, SEIU 925 increased the maximum dues amount members must pay from $125 to $130 per month. By the end of 2022, its cash reserves had grown to $12.1 million.

SEIU 925’s most recent LM-2 reports are available here: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016.

A portion of the dues paid by SEIU 925 members goes to support the SEIU Washington State Council.

SEIU Washington State Council

The SEIU Washington State Council collected $777,000 from its local affiliates in 2022.

In that same year:

$50,529 was spent by the State Council on political activity and lobbying. Because it made major political contributions for years and failed to register and report as a political action committee as required by law, the Council was charged to pay up to $250,000 in penalties and fees in 2019.
$456,324 was paid or contributed to largely ideological organizations.
$35,275 was spent on private attorneys.

SEIU WA State Council’s most recent LM-2 reports are available here: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016.

Lastly, a portion of the dues paid by the local members also go to support the national SEIU headquarters in Washington, D.C.

SEIU National Headquarters

The SEIU national headquarters collected $239 million from its affiliates in 2022. In that year alone:

$63.5 million was spent on divisive political candidates, causes and lobbying.
$4.5 million was paid or contributed to largely ideological organizations.
$6.3 million was spent on airfare, hotels and travel for union staff. SEIU’s hotel expenses included a $805,000 bill from the Hilton in Washington DC.
$36 million was spent on private attorneys and consultants.
$63,217 was spent on food and catering.

SEIU national headquarters paid 496 employees in 2022, 309 of whom were paid six figures. SEIU’s International President, Mary Kay Henry, was paid $289,587.

SEIU National Headquarters’ most recent LM-2 reports are available here: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016.