WHY THIS AREA TEACHER CHOSE THE NON-UNION OPTION

http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/130741333.html

JS Online -- 9/28/2011 -- Elija Grajkowski

As a public school teacher, I've thought critically about many unfair policies concerning the teachers union. Why is the Wisconsin Education Association Council granted special access to my paychecks through the school district, when other professional groups don't have this privilege? Why should payroll clerks in school district offices do the job of collecting union dues money and then cutting and sending the union their monthly checks (all on the taxpayers' dime)?
Do other organizations get this privilege? If not, why?

I allowed the union access to my paychecks so that it could turn around and tell me just how bad I had it. It's the union's job to encourage unrest, discontent and unhappiness amongst the rank and file; this is how it justifies its existence.

In my opinion, this has encouraged adversarial interactions with administrations. This is not how I want to live my life as a teacher. I wish to be thankful and grateful about what I have and realize that there are people out there paying taxes to support my position and benefits. Many Wisconsinites don't have the salary, security or benefits that I have. I'm really in no position to complain.

Now that I don't have to pay my "fair share" of union dues, I have been informing my fellow teachers about the premier non-union alternative: the Association of American Educators. AAE is not a union; it's a professional, nonprofit organization. The AAE model sees to it that I am fairly and accurately represented via its membership surveys and protected via an individual liability insurance policy and legal counsel.

AAE doesn't support partisan politics or issues unrelated to education, and its dues are a mere fraction of WEAC's. With AAE, I feel like a professional educator, not a union worker who is forced to pay excessive dues and contribute to controversial issues that don't reflect my beliefs.

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