Independent Teachers

Most teachers union members in Colorado are affiliated with the National Education Association, but a smaller (though significant) number belong to the American Federation of Teachers. Some of that AFT dues money goes to national headquarters. How is some of that money spent?

Well, union organizations under federal oversight annually have to post a financial disclosure to the U.S. Department of Labor. This week Mike Antonucci of the Education Intelligence Agency has posted his digestible summary that “reveals the national union contributed $2.6 million to advocacy groups and charities” in 2009-10. Of the nearly 70 groups Antonucci lists here’s an alphabetically-sorted sample:

• ACORN ($22,770)
• The American Prospect ($100,000)
• Clergy Strategic Alliances ($96,485)
• Economic Policy Institute ($356,522)
• Health Care for America Now! ($100,000)
• NAACP ($81,500)
• National Council of La Raza ($32,000)
• National Labor College ($246,470): Bet you didn’t even know such a thing existed, but maybe it’s like that insurance company university
• Rainbow PUSH Coalition ($25,000)
• Working America ($200,000)

Still, the AFT’s $2.6 million in 2009-10 advocacy group spending pales next to the $13 million dished out by the National Education Association.

For more on how NEA and AFT spends Colorado members’ money, and to find the data yourself, check out our handy link.