Nearly 2/3 of teacher union employees pull six figures
As an employer, Education Minnesota has roughly 155 full-time employees with three primary officers — a president, vice president, and secretary-treasurer, according to its most recent federal filings with the United States Department of Labor. Union member dues pay for these staff and officer costs, which include salaries, benefits, and general overhead.
The federal filings, while incomplete, do provide useful information about Education Minnesota. One section in Education Minnesota’s 2023-2024 LM-2 financial report details the salaries of 155 employees and three officers who appear to be full-time (along with a handful of other employees who appear to be part-time), including then-president Denise Specht who earned a salary of $202,768 to dozens of employees paid $100,000 or more and dozens of operatives who earned much more than teachers in the classroom.
Out of 158 total individuals receiving full-time salaries (three officers and 155 employees), 101 — 64 percent — made over $100,000. Seventy-two percent made more than the average salary earned by a classroom teacher for that school year ($72,430 for FY 2023).
Union employees spend their time on administrative duties, political activities and lobbying, and/or representational activities, such as assisting with collective bargaining duties that include salary negotiations. Yet the rigid salary schedule the union remains committed to for determining teacher salaries often ends up disadvantaging high-performing teachers (or overpaying less effective ones). Perhaps it is time to re-evaluate how teacher pay is structured to better reward and retain our quality educators.
Teacher union members pay around $1,000 in dues every year, and there are certainly members who feel their dollars are being put to good use. For those who don’t, September is their annual opportunity to opt-out of union membership. Teachers can always rejoin if they feel the union starts better representing them and their professional needs. Visit here to learn more, and make sure to check out the available liability insurance options — including one new option! — that come without the politics.
