Posted on 07/01/2002 3:52:28 PM PDT by doug from upland
Contact: Marsha Richards, Communications Director
(360) 956-3482
NEA doesn’t show up in court; union fined $800,000 for “intentional” violations of state law
OLYMPIA, WA - A Thurston County Superior Court judge today fined the National Education Association (NEA) $800,000 plus legal fees for “intentional” violations of a Washington state law that prohibits the unauthorized use of agency fees* for political activity. The court also issued a permanent injunction barring the union from collecting agency fees from thousands of Washington state teachers.
The default judgment comes after the NEA missed a court deadline last week to respond to a lawsuit brought by the Evergreen Freedom Foundation (EFF), an Olympia-based policy research organization. EFF filed the lawsuit after staff of Washington’s Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) found the union guilty of violating state law, but expressed reluctance to prosecute.
Although the NEA testified before both the Washington PDC and the United States Congress regarding the lawsuit, union attorneys failed to file a timely response or notify the court of a planned appearance.
“We are astounded that the NEA missed or ignored this deadline,” said Bob Williams, EFF’s president. “Apparently NEA officials think complying with state laws isn’t a high enough priority to merit close attention, but we expect this judgment to remind them that we value teachers’ rights here in Washington.”
EFF believes the NEA will make an excuse for missing the deadline and ask the court to vacate the judgment in the next few weeks.
Blue Cross and all school districts in Washington state have been notified that they must stop collecting the union’s agency fees from thousands of Washington teachers.
The NEA’s state affiliate, the Washington Education Association, was penalized more than $770,000 last year for breaking the same state law. The NEA’s fine bumps two earlier WEA fines to become the largest in Washington state history.
* Teachers who give up their union membership, often for political and ideological reasons, become “agency fee payers.” Washington state law strictly prohibits the use of any agency fees for political activity without first obtaining permission from each individual fee-payer.
Yer union dues dollars at work...MUD
The corruption of the teachers, their unions, and the Democrat Party runs so deep, jail will never happen. The Scumbag Administration was not the only mob to have a dirt machine. The situation is hopeless, and this story relating how the scumbag teachers union laughs off these "fines" simply demonstrates yet again the depth of the hopelessness.
Evergreen Freedom Foundation
A Non-Profit Public Policy Research Organization
P.O. Box 552, Olympia, WA 98507
(360) 956-3482, www.effwa.org
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July 2, 2002
MEMO
To: Media
From: Marsha Richards, Communications Director
It came to my attention today that the National Education Association is responding to yesterday's default judgment against them by claiming EFF filed false documents in a court of law. This shocking and serious claim is the union's excuse for missing the court deadline, and I wanted you to have the response of our general counsel for background information on this issue. Here is her statement:
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"The documentation provided to the court does not include "false information." The representations made in the file were reviewed and verified by Superior Court Judge Gary Tabor before he signed the order of default. No superior court judge would sign an order for default if any of the documents presented were not in perfect order, appropriate to be relied upon by the court, and in accord with all the rules and regulations governing such procedures.
"NEA's attempt to blame their obvious neglect on EFF or the court is unprofessional and possibly borders on an actionable claim against them for libel, slander or some other claim. NEA attorneys should accept responsibility for their own mistakes and move forward to address the matter/issue at hand."
Jeanne A. Brown, General Counsel, EFF
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The NEA did respond to our charges, albeit a bit late. The court deadline was June 23. On July 1, apparently unaware of the default judgment (an $800,000 fine and a permanent court injunction barring them from collecting agency fees in Washington state), union attorneys filed a motion asking the court to dismiss the entire case against them on a technicality. This despite the fact that staff of Washington's Public Disclosure Commission had found the union guilty of violating the law before EFF took the case.
To read the NEA's statement, visit:
http://www.nea.org/nr/nr020702b.html
To read EFF's press release on the judgment against the NEA, visit:
http://effwa.org/press_releases/2002_07_01.php
As always, feel free to call me anytime if you have questions or comments about this issue!
Regards,
Marsha Richards
Communications Director
Evergreen Freedom Foundation
P.O. Box 552
Olympia, WA 98507
(360) 956-3482
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