With over three decades of experience in public education, the New Jersey teacher has been a member of the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), the state’s largest teachers’ union, for as long as they have worked in the state. Despite the union’s claims that political contributions were voluntary and separate from membership dues, the teacher claims that the NJEA used over $40 million in dues to fund a political action committee during the current election cycle, without members’ knowledge or consent. This revelation came to light after the teacher discovered that the union’s funds were being used to support former NJEA President Sean Spiller’s failed gubernatorial campaign.
Spiller, who concurrently served as union president while campaigning for governor, reportedly continued to receive a substantial salary and benefits package during the campaign, despite the campaign’s clear lack of viability. The teacher alleges that the NJEA exploited its members’ dues to finance the campaign, even as the political action committee wasted millions of dollars on a lost cause. This misuse of funds, the teacher claims, broke the union’s contract with members and breached its fiduciary duty by giving precedence to political insiders over the members’ interests.
Ancillary to this, the New Jersey Policy Institute has flagged the union for potential violations of state and federal regulations, alleging that NJEA failed to report its multimillion-dollar contributions to Garden State Forward as political activity. These donations may have circumvented New Jersey’s $5,800 cap on direct political donations to gubernatorial candidates by using affiliated groups to exceed the limit. The union’s responses to these issues have been carefully worded, stressing the importance of collective power and democratic representation for members.
The teacher is seeking legal redress, backed by the Fairness Center, to ensure the NJEA adheres to its contractual obligations and upholds members’ interests. The case aims to address the teacher’s belief that the union fostered a culture of secrecy and favoritism, which has led to a disconnection from the members it was meant to represent. The teacher hopes this legal action will restore the union’s focus on negotiating fair labor contracts and enhancing workplace conditions, rather than diverting funds to political campaigns.