1

3

ACCESS TO
NEW-HIRE
ORIENTATIONS

Guarantee that leaders and staff
can meet new employees to explain
the benefits of membership. Strong
language should ensure that:

Ensure that leaders and staff have
access to worksites to meet and
communicate on a regular basis with
members and potential members.1
The agreement should provide that:

• an adequate length of time is
provided and that the presentation has a prominent place on the
agenda (for example, no less than
60 minutes at the beginning of
the orientation),

• Association meetings are allowed
at work locations without charge
• Association representatives (staff
and leaders) do not require prior
approval to access worksite, but
will follow whatever established
procedures may be in place for
visitors/parents signing in at school
site offices

• the orientation is conducted
in-person during work hours
• the Association is given at least
10-day notice of the orientation
• Access is provided to all new-hire
orientations during the year (i.e. not
just at the start of the school year)

2

• The Association can use worksite
bulletin boards, and employer
mail, email and telecommunications services

ACCESS TO
UNIT MEMBER
INFORMATION

• Rival organizations are prohibited
from access to work sites and use
of facilities

4

Require the employer to provide
contact information for all employees
in the bargaining unit. Strong
language should ensure that:
• Full contact information is provided, including name, job title,
department, work location, home
and worksite phone numbers,
home and worksite email
addresses, and home address

RELEASE TIME
FOR LEADERS
& ACTIVISTS

Provide release time from employment duties on a full-, part-time or
occasional basis for leaders (such as
local presidents, bargaining team
members, and building reps) to fulfill
labor-management responsibilities
and maintain a strong Association.
The leaders should be released without loss of pay, benefits or seniority.
Strong language can either establish
leave for designated local officers or
a Union Leave Bank with which the
union can provide release time for
any building rep or active member
on an as-needed basis.

• The employer provides the
information in a regular, timely
manner, preferably on a biweekly
basis (ex. with the regular transfer
of payroll deductions)
• Information on new hires be provided immediately upon hire, not
simply after they begin working
• The regular transfer of unit member
information include clear listing
of employees who either have
dropped their dues deduction and/
or have left employment since the
prior report
1

ACCESS TO
WORK SITES AND
COMMUNICATION
WITH MEMBERS

Access provisions can stipulate that Association use of public facilities may not interfere with the direct instruction of students, and state laws may regulate use of public employer communications
networks.

K-3

 5

PAYROLL
DEDUCTION
OF DUES

6

MAINTENANCEOF-DUES
PAYMENTS

7

PAYROLL
DEDUCTION
OF PAC
CONTRIBUTIONS

8

Where consistent with state law and
state Association strategic guidance2,
require the employer to deduct dues
each pay period from members who
have signed an authorization form.

Ensure that if a court rules that one
section of the contract is invalid, (or
if a legislature makes changes in law
that con ict with one section of the
contract) the remaining elements of
the agreement remain in force.

BEYOND THE BASICS
Ultimately, the Association derives its
power and strength from engaged
members. The union will grow and
thrive to the extent members see
it as relevant to their lives and the
lives of their students. Local affiliates
throughout the
A have expanded
the scope of collective bargaining
to empower educators and improve conditions for learning.
As
ollective Bargaining and ember
Advocacy ( B A) epartment provides recommendations and model
contract language on the issues
above, and on issues broadening
the scope of bargaining, such as:

Include maintenance-of-dues
provisions in contracts that provide
for payroll deduction of dues.3
Under these provisions, the employer
recognizes a commitment by each
member to pay dues for a full year—
even if the member is able to cancel
their membership at any time. aintenance-of-dues provisions permit
members to revoke payroll deduction
authorization only during a designated, annual window of limited time.

Where consistent with state law and
state Association strategic guidance,
require the employer to deduct
payments each pay period from
members who have signed a A
deduction authorization form.

SAVINGS
(SEVERABILTY)
CLAUSE

4O
ORGANIZING

4

• ffective mentoring and induction
programs,
• School climate improvement,
• Professional development and
collaborative planning,
• ollege debt reduction, and
• Teaching-time protections and
limits on testing
B As publication Advancing
Advocacy in a Changing Environment”
contains additional information and
sample contract language. ontact
B A at collectivebargaining nea.
org for a copy.

These recommendations are general in nature. There is wide variation in state laws regulating collective bargaining and
related matters, and it is critical to consult with Association counsel on revisions to your collective bargaining agreement.
2
  To pre-empt the risk of sudden loss of payroll deduction through legislative action, many NEA state affiliates are converting from payroll deduction to “eDues” (via automatic bank drafts or credit  
  card payments). Contact the NEA Center for Organizing for assistance on such flip campaigns. 

 It is essential to consult with state affiliate counsel on state rules governing revocation of payroll deduction authorization. Local Associations should negotiate maintenance-of-dues provisions to the  
  extent permitted by state law to ensure a stable, predictable budget over the course of a fiscal year. Maintenance-of-dues provisions do not restrict members’ ability to resign or revoke membership. 
3

K-4