Those Who Can’t Teach Math: California Teachers Association’s Massive Drop in Membership
Internal California Teachers Association documents reveal the union has far fewer members than it claims – and that union leaders expect that number to drop farther.
Investigative journalist Mike Antonucci reports that union’s 2022-23 fiscal year budget has the number at 267,270 – a loss of 42,730 members or nearly 14 percent.
The California Teachers Association has said it has 310,000 members. The union budget projects a drop of nearly 4,000 members in the coming year.
Those who can’t teach math: CTA’s website still claims 310,000 members.
The membership decline began with the Supreme Court’s 2018 decision in Janus v AFSCME. In Janus, the court declared that government agencies (including school districts) cannot require their employees (for example, teachers) to join political organizations (like the California Teachers Association).
Despite the membership decline, a recently imposed dues hike means the CTA predicts its annual income will rise $2.3 million to $214 million. The revenue increase is “good news for the union’s three executive officers, who are set to receive a combined bump of $150,000 in salaries and benefits,” Antonucci reports.
If losing 14 percent of its membership in four years earns its leaders such a nice pay bump, imagine what losing 30 percent would do for them.
Full disclosure: California Policy Center has a dog in this fight. We exist to eliminate the teachers union’s stranglehold on public education – and not just teachers but all government workers in all government unions. We’ve worked tirelessly to educate them all about the facts of union membership, starting with the fact that membership is optional. They leave primarily for three reasons – because they want to keep their money; because of the unions’ use of that money in politics; and because the union works primarily to defend the worst workers.
To learn more about Janus v AFSCME or how to opt out of your union, visit CPC’s website mypaymysay.com.