NEA Grant Helps Local Union Build Power
In Pueblo, Colo., new teachers will finally make more than $50,000 a year. That’s thanks to the advocacy of hundreds of Pueblo Education Association (PEA) members—including 70 percent of the bargaining unit that signed a “photo petition” (above).
The local has grown more powerful in recent years, as more educators have become active in the union.
“I’m really proud of what we’ve done to bring in more voices and more member engagement,” says PEA President Mike Maes, who partly credits an NEA grant for the union’s growth. The grant allowed Vice President Justina Carter to be a full-time release leader, which provided her the time needed to connect with members.
For more information on Student-Centered Bargaining and Advocacy Grants, visit nea.org/Bargaining-Grants.
NEA Protects Utah Workers’ Rights!
An NEA legislative grant helped the Utah Education Association derail an anti-worker bill that would have required public labor unions to be recertified every five years. The proposal also would have made it illegal to take union dues out of employees’ paychecks— making it harder for educators to keep their memberships active. Learn more about the grant at nea.org/LegislativeGrant
NEA Helps Block Voucher Schemes
Some 90 percent of students in the U.S. attend public schools. That’s why NEA is helping state affiliates beat back voucher schemes across the country, so public dollars stay where they belong—in public schools! Here are some 2024 wins:
In Nebraska, Colorado, and Kentucky, voters overwhelmingly rejected school vouchers in the 2024 election. A united coalition of educators, parents, and community members, with NEA support, organized to stop ballot measures in these states. Their success continues a crucial trend: When school vouchers have been put to a vote, they have been defeated.
In Utah, NEA’s legal council began litigating a voucher challenge in May on behalf of the Utah Education Association and several individuals. The universal voucher scheme would drain millions of dollars from public schools.
In South Carolina, the state Supreme Court struck down a voucher program that would have siphoned taxpayer dollars to fund private school tuition. This decision, handed down in September, comes after NEA brought the lawsuit on behalf of The South Carolina Education Association, along with six public school parents and the NAACP South Carolina State Conference.
Learn how voucher programs hurt students and educators at nea.org/Vouchers.
