Our friends at the Education Intelligence Agency have posted membership numbers for the National Education Association (NEA) for 2009-2010 (see numbers here). Of 55 state and local unions, 39 recorded declines in membership. Nationally, NEA claims 2,866,063 members, down 1.4 percent from 2008-09.
Data for North Carolina reveals 44,970 NEA members, down 6.3 percent from the previous year. The decline represents the second largest decline of any state-based NEA union. NEA membership in South Carolina declined 10.1 percent. The largest teacher association in the Tar Heel state, the North Carolina Association of Educators, is an NEA affiliate. NCAE members must join NEA and pay dues to the organization as a condition of membership.
Is the decline in NEA membership in NC a sign of things to come? NEA has ramped up dues and spending at a time when the union is losing membership and fighting battles on multiple fronts. The radical shift and politicized agenda may be turning off even more members.
Joining requires paying monthly dues. Salaries have been frozen for five years and many have to cut corners to make ends meet.