Protect your power with a proactive strategy! 

This guide will help provide you the skills and tools to create and implement your proactive AutoPay campaign. To access even more support, download our full AutoPay toolkit.

Anti-education politicians in states across the country see our union as a threat to their corporate donors and political future. They are using every tool to weaken our voices, including eliminating our ability to pay our dues through automatic payroll deductions.

Since 2010, a number of state legislatures have enacted laws that bar or severely restrict public employers from deducting union dues from employees’ wages, including Wisconsin in 2011, Michigan in 2012, Iowa in 2017, and Indiana and West Virginia in 2021. The dam burst open, however, in 2023, when four states—Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, and Tennessee—enacted payroll deduction prohibitions. 

Proactively converting members from payroll deduction to AutoPay is the only way to neutralize this threat and protect our power. With every member who converts, the threat of an all-consuming campaign gets and our power grows, turning their threat into an opportunity to reconnect with membership, reaffirm the value of our union, strengthen worksite structure, and build new union leaders.

While no strategy will make AutoPay conversion painless, being proactive instead of reactive allows for an intentional campaign that supports membership growth and capacity-building while maintaining long-term solvency. Act now to protect your power and deliver on the vision of our union: a great public school for every student.

Key Strategy 1: Prepare your financial and member data systems 

Before you can begin converting members, your affiliate must set up your state’s processes for financial transactions and member data tracking. This section will walk you through the following:

• Tactic 1: Launch your AutoPay platform
• Tactic 2: Determine payment methods
• Tactic 3: Use IMS email notifications
• Tactic 4: Routinize data cleansing

This setup can take longer than you might expect, so get started as soon as possible!

Tactic 1: Launch Your AutoPay Platform

Before your affiliate can begin converting members, you must set up your state’s eDues page (see NEA's national eDues platform for an example). eDues is NEA’s online platform for processing EFT and RCC payments. Through the eDues page, members can switch payment methods from payroll deduction to AutoPay, as well as update bank account or credit card information. Launching your affiliate’s eDues platform can take up to four to six months, so if there is a chance you will need eDues, begin the process far in advance. 

In order to launch your eDues platform, you will need to know the local dues amounts for every local in your state—collect this information alongside district pay schedules and contact information for local leaders. 

• Local dues amounts: This ensures the eDues system can charge members correctly for local dues.
• District pay schedules: This will allow you to align dues draft dates with members’ paydays, reducing payment rejections.
• Local leadership: Make sure you have the contact information for the local president, as well as contact information for all building reps, the treasurer, and the membership chair. Ensure that the roles in IMS are current and accurate. 

Tactic 2: Determine Payment Methods

Before launching your campaign, decide which payment methods your affiliate will accept and on what terms.

Affiliates are normally able to push EFT rejection rates down to about 1%. However, rejection rates for credit card payments will always be much higher, at around 10%. As a result, credit card payments cost ten times more in staff time devoted to chasing rejected payments, in addition to their significantly higher fees. For these reasons, we recommend pushing members away from credit card payments and towards EFT.

Tactic 3: Use IMS Email Notifications 

IMS email notifications are an excellent way to keep members informed on the status of their membership and dues payments, while complying with legal requirements for collecting union dues. We recommend setting up the following notifications:

• Successful account information and account update 
• Enrollment confirmation 
• Payment notification 
• Failed payment notification 
• Refund notification 
• Status sheet (sent before first deduction) 
• Annual notice of dues rates (Members who use AutoPay must get notice of changes in their annual obligation, periodic amounts, and payment schedule.) 

Tactic 4: Membership Data Audit 

Clean and accurate lists are absolutely critical to converting your members and managing dues collection via AutoPay. Without strong lists, your conversion campaign will struggle to reach all members, and chasing rejected payments will be challenging. 

Data cleansing is a cycle—not a one-time process. Good lists require constant care and attention. Take care of your lists, and they will take care of you! Before beginning your AutoPay campaign, take time to assess your lists by conducting a Membership Data Audit. Need more inspiration? Check out our guide to list acquisition and data cleansing. 

Key Strategy 2: Prepare your leaders, locals, and allies

An effective proactive AutoPay campaign taps the strengths and resources of your entire network. This section will walk you through the following:

• Tactic 1: Build governance buy-in
• Tactic 2: Protect PRD in CBAs or  standalone agreements
• Tactic 3: Reconnect with members before making the conversion ask
• Tactic 4: Work in coalition to defend labor rights

Tactic 1: Build Governance Buy-in

Governance leaders should be the first to convert to AutoPay. After they work through the process themselves, train all governance leaders on 1:1 conversations for converting members. Then, have local presidents convert before converting their leadership teams. 

Begin with your state’s officers and Board of Directors. Take time to meet and clearly articulate the real implications of losing payroll deduction on the organization’s budget, density, power, and priorities. Understand the key priorities of governance in your state and establish the loss of payroll deduction as a direct threat to those specific priorities. 

Remember, the threat should only be half the picture. Focus also on how your conversion campaign is an opportunity to strengthen your union by re-engaging with members, affirming their commitment to the vision of our union, and developing new structures and union leaders. Introduce proactive conversion as the best strategy to turn this threat into an opportunity. 

Tip: Effectively managing AutoPay dues collection requires a clear cancelation policy for non-payment of dues. Begin preparing your Board to develop this policy.

Tactic 2: Protect Payroll Deduction in Collective Bargaining Agreements or Standalone Agreements

In states with mandatory or permissive bargaining rights, local unions can bargain provisions that extend after a ban comes into effect, protecting payroll deduction until the bargained provisions expire. Use this tactic to secure additional time to convert members, prioritizing conversion campaigns in locals without such protections.

• Locals with payroll deduction provisions that could be improved: State affiliates should work with local leadership to bargain stronger payroll deduction provisions based on NEA’s model language. If a ban is likely, locals should be encouraged to extend protections for payroll deduction as long as possible by elongating the duration clause, pending any statutory requirements regarding the life of a collective bargaining agreement.
• Bargaining locals with no payroll deduction provisions: State affiliates should work with local leadership to bargain payroll deduction provisions based on NEA’s model language. If a ban is imminent, consider pursuing mid-term bargaining to add these provisions.
• Locals with bargaining rights but no contract: State affiliates should work with local leadership to explore the possibility of entering into a single-issue contract with the employer protecting payroll deduction.

Tactic 3: Reconnect with Members Before Making the Conversion Ask 

Before you convert, local leaders and volunteers should engage with as many members as possible, especially in worksites where the local has been less visible. Have local leadership conduct 1:1 conversations with members, asking them what they want from their union. 

Think of how the union might deliver on these priorities. Do members want to take action in their workplace? Do they want a professional development training? Consider recording their responses in a Year-Round Organizing card. 

Tactic 4: Work in Coalition to Defend Labor Rights 

Beating back payroll deduction bans and other anti-union legislation is best done in solidarity with other labor unions. Start meeting regularly before the session begins to discuss priorities, threats, and opportunities. Create a coalition, and branded materials, that can be used to distribute information from a united labor table to legislators. The coalition should hire lobbyists, identify key legislators, and share target sheets at every meeting. Legislatures have tried to carve out police and firefighters from the most detrimental effects of legislation, but if the labor table stays united, bad bills can be defeated for the benefit of all unions. 

Lessons learned from affiliates who have successfully defeated payroll deduction bans: 

• Work in coalition 
• Determine who has the ear of the key legislators  
• Bring in members from strategic districts to tell their stories  
• Continually revise talking points with coalition as legislation changes  
• Email, Hustle, and phone bank members strategically throughout the campaign 

Key Strategy 3: Develop a Surround-Sound Plan 

According to our research, over half of our members have heard “just a little” or “nothing” about the bills that eliminate payroll deduction. What’s worse, members who have heard little or nothing feel most negatively about being asked to make the flip. A strong surround-sound plan ensure that educators understand the need to protect their union membership by switching to AutoPay.

This section will walk you through the following:

• Tactic 1: Keep members informed about incoming legislative threats 
• Tactic 2: Use research-backed messaging 
• Tactic 3: Use Hustle, email, and telephonic organizing to complement field work

Tactic 1: Keep Members Informed About Incoming Legislative Threats 

According to our research, over half of our members have heard “just a little” or “nothing” about the bills that eliminate payroll deduction. What’s worse, members who have heard little or nothing feel most negatively about being asked to make the flip. 

In states facing immediate legislative threats, educate members about the legislation proposed by anti-public education politicians and explain how to protect their membership. Emphasize that they will lose their membership if they don’t switch to AutoPay. Stress that enrollment is safe and secure and remind members that the union protects them and their students. 

In states pursuing a proactive strategy, be careful not to rely too heavily on threat messaging. If the threat dissipates, members may no longer see the reason to switch to AutoPay. Instead, focus on the advantages of protecting their union membership long-term. 

Tactic 2: Use Research-Backed Messaging 

NEA conducted message research to determine the most effective messaging for converting members off of payroll deduction. This research informs our messaging guidance. 

Tactic 3: Use Hustle, Email, and Telephonic Organizing to Complement Field Work 

While we can’t expect digital tools to convert a large percentage of membership, building a strong surround-sound strategy can go a long way in supporting the in-person work and raising awareness about the switch to AutoPay. Use these tools to complement your field strategy, like by sending Hustle messages to members ahead of a worksite visit.

Additionally, think about how you can use your surround-sound strategy to identify volunteers to help in the conversion efforts. When building a surround-sound plan, don’t just focus on what will be sent out from the state level. How can partners like local presidents or building reps contribute to your surround-sound campaign?

Reminder: In order to convert to AutoPay, members will need their NEA ID number and ZIP code. Fortunately, this number can be inserted into communications like Hustles or emails through a merge field. Need help getting this set up? Email [email protected] to get started!

Strategy 4: Reach Every Member Multiple Times

At the heart of every AutoPay campaign is the in-person field strategy. This section will walk you through the following: 

• Tactic 1: Empower field leaders with data 
• Tactic 2: Assess your worksite structure 
• Tactic 3: Convert through worksite structure 
• Tactic 4: Convert through worksite visits 
• Tactic 5: Convert through home visits

Tactic 1: Empower Field Leaders With Data 

In order to maximize the efficiency of your campaign, it is vital that leaders have the necessary data. Make sure to provide the following information to your those involved in your campaign, including field staff, governance, and building reps:

• Updated lists of members who have not yet converted, including their contact information. 
• The percentage of members who have converted statewide and in each local

By making this data easily available to people working on your campaign, you ensure that folks will always have the correct information when it comes to the members they are working with. 

Note: Please be vigilant to protect confidential information. Only provide necessary member information and remind staff and leaders to zealously guard that information. 

Tactic 2: Assess Your Worksite Structure

There are many ways to convert your membership to AutoPay, but using the worksite structure to make conversion asks is the most effective. Therefore, it’s imperative to know where your worksite structure is the strongest. Work with UniServ Directors to evaluate the worksite structure at the building level in each of their assigned locals. Evaluate each building rep and determine what supports they may need to successfully convert their worksite.

Tactic 3: Convert Through Worksite Structure

Take some time to think through how building reps fit into your campaign. Have a plan in place to train building reps, and to intervene if they aren’t meeting their conversion goals.

Tips for working with building reps:

• Show them where they can find lists of members who haven’t converted and have them plan out how they will convert the entire worksite over time.
• Have them work to raise awareness among members with 1:1 conversations, meetings, emails, and/or texts before they start converting members. 
• Remind them that any engagement is also a great time to ask members to update their contact information or identify volunteers to help with conversion.

Tactic 4: Convert Through Worksite Visits

Before a team arrives at the worksite, members should already be aware of the impending loss of payroll deduction and the need to convert their membership. Work with the building rep or the local president to create a plan to raise awareness. 

Don't forget to engage with potential members at the worksite too: If potential members come through your area, talk to them about their priorities and the work of the union. Don’t forget to bring membership forms!

WHAT’S IN THE BINDER?

Organizers at the Oklahoma Education Association have had great success putting together binders filled with helpful materials for site visits:

• Two copies of membership rosters for the local with Member ID numbers, one sorted by name and another by worksite, in case a member has recently switched worksites
• Instructions with helpful tips for site visits  
• AutoPay sign-up forms and, if applicable, forms to terminate payroll deductions
• Membership forms for new members
• Schedule for the site visit 

Tactic 5: Convert Through Home Visits

In cases where a school administrator may not allow a worksite visit, or worksites have closed for the summer, it is necessary to convert members by conducting home visits.

Before you canvass, make sure that you have buy-in from local leadership and enough volunteers to get the job done. While staff can be great coaches, it’s important for members to see their colleagues at the door. Be sure to have canvassers who can speak Spanish—if you have limited Spanish-speaking volunteers, have a Spanish speaker at headquarters whom teams can call for translation help. Make canvassing fun! Have teams spend time getting to know each other with icebreakers.

Thoroughly train your canvassers on 1:1 conversations, your conversion message, and the conversion process. Emphasize safety when canvassing: never knock on a door alone, and if a house looks unsafe, don’t approach. Make sure to wear shirts or badges from the local when canvassing. If the member doesn’t come to the door, have generic materials in Spanish and English to leave behind. 

Key Strategy 5: Strengthen Payment Capture Systems 

Payment capture occurs when dues leave a member’s account and are transferred to the union successfully. This section will walk you through the following:

• Tactic 1: Reduce rejected payments 
• Tactic 2: Reconcile payments and membership rosters 
• Tactic 3: Systematize payment chase 
• Tactic 4: Develop clear cancelation policies

Tactic 1: Reduce Rejected Payments

For EFT and RCC payments, we strongly recommend aligning the draft schedule to members’ paydays. When they first begin collecting dues via AutoPay, many affiliates shy away from having multiple payment schedules in order to minimize the logistical burden on membership processing staff. However, running multiple payment schedules aligned with members’ paydays significantly reduces rejected payments, minimizing time-intensive payment chase work. The most effective payment chase strategy is to reduce rejections!

By following these steps, many affiliates have been able to reduce EFT rejection rates to around 1%.

It is more difficult to reduce rejection rates for credit card transactions. The easiest way to reduce credit card rejections is to spread the dues obligation over fewer transactions, minimizing opportunities for a failed payment. For example, an affiliate could offer quarterly payments for credit card payers, while offering monthly draws for EFT payers. Some affiliates have had success limiting credit card payers to a single draw date for the entire annual dues obligation.

Tip: 1-2 weeks before drafting members’ accounts via EFT, request a pre-note from NEA. The pre-note will check for closed bank accounts before the payment draft, allowing staff to rectify the issue with the member before a payment is rejected. 

Tactic 2: Reconcile Payments and Membership Rosters

Once members have been converted to AutoPay, it is critical to ensure that all payments are applied to the correct member and local dues are forwarded to the correct local. Reconciliation is the process of matching payments to members and identifying rejected payments.

It is important to leave time to verify local rosters at the beginning of the school year before payment drafts begin. Verifying rosters before the first EFT or credit/debit charge will help prevent double charging members who have transferred locals or mistakenly charging members who have retired.

Since AutoPay takes the employer out of the dues collection process, systems must be in place to continually update when member’s dues obligation ends, either because they have transferred, retired, or resigned. Under payroll deduction, if a member left a district or retired, the payments would be stopped automatically by the employer. However, when collecting dues via AutoPay, members will continue to be charged until the membership department is notified that they have left the district or retired. Local leaders, building reps, and other governance members should institute regular roster validation and develop procedures to notify membership departments when members are transferring locals or retiring.

Since membership departments may need to reach out about payment information, work locations and Association roles should be updated and stored in a centralized database such as NEA360. 

BUILDING TRUST WITH LARGE LOCALS

Many large locals resist AutoPay because of changes in their revenue flow. With AutoPay, dues are collected at the state level before being disbursed to the local. Sending FRS receipt reports from MRA, showing how much money the state received and how much has been sent to the local and to NEA, can help to build trust and overcome resistance with large locals. Additionally, state affiliates should collaborate with locals to determine disbursement dates for dues. 

Tactic 3: Systematize Payment Chase

Payment chase—the process of collecting dues from members after their payment was rejected—is a significant challenge that comes with collecting dues via AutoPay. The best payment chase systems communicate with individual members using multiple methods, while ensuring local leadership is aware of membership status.

Most affiliates bifurcate their approach to payment chase based on whether the payment was rejected because of (1) a closed bank account or expired credit/debit card and (2) insufficient funds or exceeding one’s credit limit. This is because insufficient funds or credit limit reached are temporary issues, while a closed bank account/credit card is permanent and will require the affiliate to obtain new payment information immediately. 

Payment chase processes should be centralized and handled by your affiliate’s membership processing staff for several reasons: 

• Efficiency: Membership processors are uniquely equipped to communicate with members and make immediate changes directly in IMS, eliminating chains of communication that can increase the risk of errors.  
• Communication: Membership processors understand how to handle sensitive, confidential matters with members in a professional and respectful way.
• Simplicity: Assigning this work to a membership processor, instead of a complex patchwork of staff and leaders, greatly reduces the risk of error and ensures that all missed payments will have a timely follow-up.
• Compliance: There are legal rules around collecting rejected EFT and RCC payments. By centralizing this work to a smaller group of staff who can be more easily trained, your affiliate can minimize legal risk.

Tactic 4: Develop Clear Cancelation Policies

AutoPay requires clear policies dictating when members will be canceled for non-payment of dues. Developing and enforcing clear cancelation policies protects your affiliate from legal liability. Inconsistent cancelation practices could lead to some members retaining the rights and benefits of membership for longer than other members, setting up a potential Duty of Fair Representation claim.

Without a clear policy, leaders and staff will struggle to apply the rules with consistency.

Most affiliates tie cancelation to several missed payments or a length of time since the last successful payment (e.g., members are canceled after two consecutive missed payments or two months of non-payment). 

If a legal ban on payroll deduction has been passed, determine when members who fail to convert to AutoPay will be canceled. Since canceled members can no longer convert through the eDues portal and must re-join as a new member, it is advantageous to give members a long time to convert—however, note that keeping large amounts of non-paying members on the rolls can carry serious financial implications for your affiliate. 

Strong cancelation policies must go hand in hand with strong drop and save protocols. Often, members will not take seriously nonpayment of dues until they receive their cancelation notice, and then they will want to re-join. Develop a standardized procedure for outreach to canceled members. All cancelation notices should include information on how and why to re-join.