Check out this new Independent Teachers video about what happens when a non-union school employee who is forced to opt out of paying union fees every year misses the deadline because of family medical emergencies:
Due to family medical hardships, non-union Pueblo school employee Becky Robertson missed an annual deadline to opt out of union fee paycheck deductions. The union rejected her appeal. Though she had chosen not to be a union member, Becky ended up paying the union hundreds of dollars that could have been used for medical bills and other expenses. Why do Colorado laws allow this type of abuse to continue?
Which Colorado school district employees are affected by union fee opt-out policies for non-union members?
Teachers and classified employees in:
Pueblo City Schools
Pueblo School District 70
South Conejos School District
Teachers in:
Colorado Springs District 11 (the district currently honors one-time union fee revocations, so teachers don’t have to repeat the process year after year)
Alamosa School District Re-11J
Classified employees in:
Brighton Public Schools
Bus drivers and mechanics only in:
Denver Public Schools
In these districts and many others, union members who wish to quit their membership dues payments similarly have a narrow window of time each year in which to make their decision. You can find more information right here on our website concerning these policies and deadlines for teachers / licensed employees and classified school employees.