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School Services of California, Inc.
Community College Update
September 12, 1996
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Conservative Group Prevails over
CTA in Agency Shop Dispute

Backed by the Individual Rights Foundation, a Los Angeles-based conservative think tank, some 700 teachers in about 100 California school districts will receive refunds of nearly $150 each on annual fees previously paid to the California Teachers Association (CTA). The refunds stem from a recent arbitrator's decision in a dispute involving non-union teachers who were required to pay CTA a $625 annual representation fee under the agency-shop provisions of their districts' collective bargaining contract. The Individual Rights Foundation joined the dispute on behalf of the complaining teachers as a way of furthering the Foundation's attacks on what it contends is CTA's undue political influence in Sacramento.

The refunds equate to approximately 25% of the annual representation fee CTA has charged to non-members, and represent the proportion of CTA costs that the arbitrator determined were related to CTA-sponsored political activities rather than collective bargaining. Specifically disallowed were costs for some of CTA's anti-voucher initiative activities as well as costs for its Sacramento lobbying operation. CTA could not prove to the arbitrator's satisfaction that the lobbying and anti-voucher costs were legitimately related to local bargaining services provided to non-members.

In statements to the Los Angeles Times, CTA officials downplayed the importance of the ruling, saying that the financial effects on the union were minimal, and that they do not anticipate any resulting drop in the number of teachers who elect to become full members.

In contrast, the Individual Rights Foundation laid claim to a major victory, and said that it intends to widely publicize the fact that non-member status will now be materially cheaper than full CTA membership. The Foundation argues that many current CTA members will be incensed when they learn that they unwittingly have been paying a large proportion of their dues to support CTA political positions that are at variance with their own. The Foundation predicts a backlash that will lead to many more teachers choosing non-member status, and a corresponding decrease in CTA's lobbying clout in the state capital.

-- Bill Pieper
[Posted 9/12/96]