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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Explores the Fate of the Diminishing Teachers Union
posted by: Ruthie | January 08, 2014, 03:27 PM   

Since the passage of Act 10, Wisconsin's teacher unions are losing thousands of members to teacher choice and freedom of association. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel recently published an article exploring the fate of the unions. New educators are joining the non-union option everyday!


The Sentinel's Erin Richards writes:

Nonunion group grows

...Meanwhile, a nonunion group called the Association of American Educators is making inroads in the state. 

The organization, based in Mission Viejo, Calif., rejects what it calls "forced unionism," or the practice of forcing dues from teachers' paychecks, which was commonplace in Wisconsin before the passage of Act 10.

Instead it focuses on professional development and offers teachers benefits such as liability insurance and access to legal counsel.

With a fledgling 150 members before the legislation passed, the Wisconsin branch of the organization is on pace to reach 1,000 members by the end of 2013-'14, spokeswoman Alexandra Freeze said.

"We see that teachers are definitely looking for a less politically charged option," she said.

Freeze said dues are cheaper than union dues — $180 annually for teachers — because the group doesn't focus on collective bargaining or political activity.

The association, which has about 20,000 members nationally, has a much warmer attitude toward charter schools than most teachers unions, but members are split on their feelings toward private-school vouchers, Freeze said.


Click here to read the entire article.  

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