Video: Unions Abuse Non-Union Teacher Paychecks

Check out this new Independent Teachers video about what happens when a non-union school employee who is forced to opt out of paying union fees every year misses the deadline because of family medical emergencies:

From the YouTube summary:

Due to family medical hardships, non-union Pueblo school employee Becky Robertson missed an annual deadline to opt out of union fee paycheck deductions. The union rejected her appeal. Though she had chosen not to be a union member, Becky ended up paying the union hundreds of dollars that could have been used for medical bills and other expenses. Why do Colorado laws allow this type of abuse to continue?

Which Colorado school district employees are affected by union fee opt-out policies for non-union members?

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Colorado Teacher Membership Opt-Out Periods Coming in August and September

August has arrived — which not only means that the new school year for most Colorado students lies just around the corner, but also opens a short window of time for many Colorado teachers to make important decisions.

Teachers and other education employees in Colorado of course have a variety of professional and union membership options from which to choose. Many of those options allow teachers to join or to drop out throughout the year. But in some cases, the only time they can revoke membership is during a short window.

Some of these opt-out periods begin in August, and most end in September. (A few deadlines are in October or November.) In a handful of school districts, employees who never signed up to join a union have to opt out, too. It’s always good to be aware of these deadlines so teachers and others can make the most informed choices about their membership options.