How are MEA and NEA Dues determined?
MEA dues are set by delegates to the MEA Representative Assembly in conjunction with adoption of the MEA budget.
Per MEA governance documents, the MEA active membership fee “shall be one
and one-half percent (1.5%) of each member’s contractual salary/wage for
the prior year ending June 30 earned for work in a bargaining unit represented
by MEA or one of its affiliates provided that the active membership fee shall
not exceed six hundred twenty dollars ($620).
It is important to note that the Representative Assembly has the authority
to set a new percentage and cap (maximum dues) each year at its spring meeting.
NEA dues are set by national level governance documents.
Per the NEA Bylaws, the NEA full-time membership fee shall be ".00225 times
the national average annual salary of classroom teachers in the public elementary
and secondary schools (rounded to the nearest dollar) plus .00055 of the national
average annual salary of classroom teachers in the public elementary and secondary
schools (rounded to the nearest dollar) to be allocated to the UniServ grants
according to the policy of the NEA Board of Directors." The dues are based
on prior year salary data.
Dues for ESP members are determined based upon the national average annual
salary of school employees in educational support positions, but in no event
shall the dues be less than one-half the active dues for classroom teachers.