Teacher Truths: You will not lose seniority or tenure if you resign from the union

Please share with any educator you may know to help dispel these pesky misconceptions! #TeacherTruths

Minnesota educators interested in resigning from union membership only have until September 30 to make their decision. Otherwise, their membership automatically renews for another year.

In order to help you make an informed decision, we want to make sure teachers know they will not lose their seniority or tenure if they resign from Education Minnesota. The union fought to be the exclusive representative over the workers it organizes, regardless of their membership status, and has a monopoly over negotiating the contract with the employer. Therefore, the contract’s provisions, which include salary schedules, seniority, tenure terms, etc., cover all employees.

While the union does offer certain benefits to members outside of the collective bargaining agreement, such as additional liability coverage outside of the district’s insurance policy, teachers can get double the protection than what the union offers members for a fraction of the cost of dues. Check out these national providers here. In addition, these professional associations also offer extra perks such as professional development opportunities and even a discount program for hotels, restaurants, movie theaters, and spas, to name a few.