Colorado Teachers, Get Up to $65 Back

Teachers who are members of the Colorado Education Association (CEA) are eligible for as much as $65 in annual political refunds through the Every Member Option (EMO) program. The CEA raises political funds through a structure known as EMO. In 2015-16, $41) is deducted from the yearly earnings of every full-time member teacher (part-time member teachers and support personnel pay a lesser amount) to fund the EMO, which exclusively finances local and state political campaigns.

CEA members who wish to receive an EMO refund must submit their requests in writing by DECEMBER 15. Many CEA local associations also have a refundable EMO that must be requested separately. Local EMOs are as much as $24.

To find EMO refund request online forms, contact information, and from letters, please visit the Political Refunds page.

Pueblo Teachers (& other K-12 Employees): Options to Get Union Money Back End Sept. 15

Have you driven through Pueblo lately? Thanks to National Employee Freedom Week, you may have seen this new billboard appear:

(It’s not just Pueblo. Many other Colorado school districts have brief opt-out windows for current members, and a few others — Colorado Springs 11, Alamosa, South Conejos — also have annual opt-out windows for non-members. Check out revocation information for Teachers and for Classified Employees)

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Ask First Better, But Every Member Option Gives Glimmer of Employee Freedom

June 24-28 has been designated the first-ever National Employee Freedom Week. “National Employee Freedom Week is a national effort to inform union employees of the freedom they have regarding opting out of union membership and making the decision about union membership that’s best for them.” The Independence Institute is one of more than 40 organizations across the United States to join in celebrating the occasion. The following post is part of a series highlighting the issue’s impact in Colorado.

When it comes to exercising employee freedom, many Colorado teachers may opt to stay part of the union. But they may not approve of all aspects of what the union does with their money. That’s why the Education Policy Center every year informs educators across the state about the Colorado Education Association’s December 15 deadline to get back the portion of their dues collected to fund local and state political candidates and causes.

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Did You Receive a Postcard About Every Member Option? December 15 Deadline Approaching

Updated for 2014

Did you receive a postcard like this in the mail? Click on the image for all the information and links you will need to request one or more Every Member Option (EMO) political refunds from the Colorado Education Association and its local affiliates:

You can also watch the 1-minute animated video on the EMO that may bring back a bit of nostalgia:

Related stories:
Teachers union offices need to improve information on member political dues (October 2012)
Teachers’ money taken to fund nasty political ads (November 2012)

Colo. Teachers Union Members Automatically Funding False, Malicious Political Ads

Many Colorado teachers may be unknowingly funding a political group under government investigation and private legal complaint for creating multiple “negative ads were filled with outrageous and unfounded claims.”

An article by Colorado Media Trackers highlights the detestable activities of the 527 group Colorado Accountable Government Alliance (CAGA). The Colorado Education Association‘s small donor “Public Education Committee” this year has made two separate $50,000 contributions (July 10 and August 2) to CAGA.

Nonpartisan state house candidate Kathleen Curry, the daughter of a breast cancer survivor, has been falsely attacked by CAGA as opposing insurance coverage for mammograms. Summit County officials have opened an ethics violation investigation in this case.

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