Originally Published March 26, 2013
Union dues for the Washington Education Association are higher than most people realize: typically about $1,000, with some teachers paying as much as $1,179 per year.
And while union officials give lip service to “progressive” values, their approach to both dues and wages is the opposite. Dues are a flat amount for full time teachers, meaning they are the same whether a teacher is earning at the low end or the high end of the wage scale. Starting teachers’ low wages are used in union rhetoric as the reason for increasing funding, but the union requires them to pay the largest percentage of their wage for dues (3%) while the wealthiest teachers pay the smallest (as low as 1%).
Raises, on the otherhand, are on a percentage basis so that the biggest increases go to the best-paid employees. Sometimes the union insists on wage enhancements which are even more regressive than this. A number of union contracts actually ensure even higher percentage enhancements for the highest-paid teachers.
The WEA’s regressive policies are no accident or oversight. When the legislature sought to improve starting teacher wages by adjusting the salary schedule, the WEA sued to stop this progressive wage policy.
Here are the union dues of the various locals derived from financial records WEA makes available to fee-paying nonmembers (WEA has no obligation to disclose financial information to members). It is interesting to note that Washington has three “local only unions” which are able to serve members for far less than $1,000 per year.
For $1,000 dues each year for a three year contract, each teacher could afford to hire his or her own lawyer for contract negotiation. The overcharging for workplace representation is reaching absurd proportions.
Source: WEA “Hudson Packet” sent to nonmembers with the offer to receive a refund, Dec. 13, 2013.
Learn how you can get a refund from the union for these overcharges here. (PDF of publication) Learn about the right to send dues to charity if you have a personally-held religious objection to WEA’s use of funds in thispublication.
Learn about the “local only” union option here. (PDF of Publication)
See average teacher salary by district here and teacher salaries & benefits here.
| District Alphabetical Order | Approx. 13-14 Total Dues | District in Rank Order | Approx. 13-14 Total Dues | Rank | |
| Aberdeen | $890 | Marysville | $1,179 | 1 | |
| Adna | $847 | Shoreline | $1,164 | 2 | |
| Almira | No union | Stanwood | $1,152 | 3 | |
| Anacortes | $998 | Bremerton | $1,145 | 4 | |
| Arlington | $1,022 | Everett | $1,129 | 5 | |
| Asotin-Anatone | $874 | Snohomish | $1,126 | 6 | |
| Auburn | $998 | Spokane | $1,123 | 7 | |
| Bainbridge Island | $909 | Sedro-Woolley | $1,118 | 8 | |
| Battle Ground | $1,003 | Oak Harbor | $1,110 | 9 | |
| Bellevue | $1,018 | Eastmont | $1,105 | 10 | |
| Bellingham | $1,080 | Mukilteo | $1,103 | 11 | |
| Benge | No union | Monroe | $1,101 | 12 | |
| Bethel | $1,017 | North Kitsap | $1,099 | 13 | |
| Bickleton | No union | Lake Stevens | $1,093 | 14 | |
| Blaine | $1,002 | Longview | $1,090 | 15 | |
| Boistfort | No union | Mount Vernon | $1,082 | 16 | |
| Bremerton | $1,145 | Bellingham | $1,080 | 17 | |
| Brewster | $805 | Ferndale | $1,070 | 18 | |
| Bridgeport | $779 | Pasco | $1,063 | 19 | |
| Brinnon | No union | Northshore | $1,057 | 20 | |
| Burlington-Edison | $991 | Kennewick | $1,053 | 21 | |
| Camas | $887 | Wenatchee | $1,053 | 22 | |
| Cape Flattery | $762 | Central Kitsap | $1,050 | 23 | |
| Carbonado | No union | Yakima | $1,047 | 24 | |
| Cascade | $925 | Richland | $1,043 | 25 | |
| Cashmere | $829 | North Thurston | $1,042 | 26 | |
| Castle Rock | $970 | Concrete | $1,034 | 27 | |
| Centerville | $781 | Olympia | $1,032 | 28 | |
| Central Kitsap | $1,050 | Skykomish | $1,032 | 29 | |
| Central Valley | $933 | Mead | $1,026 | 30 | |
| Centralia | $882 | Arlington | $1,022 | 31 | |
| Chehalis | $979 | Bellevue | $1,018 | 32 | |
| Cheney | $967 | Issaquah | $1,018 | 33 | |
| Chewelah | $850 | Lake Washington | $1,018 | 34 | |
| Chimacum | $797 | Bethel | $1,017 | 35 | |
| Clarkston | $873 | South Kitsap | $1,017 | 36 | |
| Cle Elum-Carson | $891 | Seattle | $1,013 | 37 | |
| Clover Park | $928 | Mabton | $1,011 | 38 | |
| Colfax | $826 | Tukwila | $1,009 | 39 | |
| College Place | No union | Franklin Pierce | $1,004 | 40 | |
| Colton | $826 | Renton | $1,004 | 41 | |
| Columbia (Stevens) | $764 | Battle Ground | $1,003 | 42 | |
| Columbia (Walla Walla) | $921 | Blaine | $1,002 | 43 | |
| Colville | $886 | Kelso | $1,001 | 44 | |
| Concrete | $1,034 | Edmonds | $999 | 45 | |
| Conway | $878 | Anacortes | $998 | 46 | |
| Cosmopolis | $785 | Lopez Island | $998 | 47 | |
| Coulee-Hartline | No Union? | Auburn | $998 | 48 | |
| Coupeville | $968 | State Average | $997 | ||
| Crescent | $765 | Moses Lake | $996 | 49 | |
| Creston | $735 | Riverside | $994 | 50 | |
| Curlew | No Union? | Walla Walla | $993 | 51 | |
| Cusick | $850 | Kent | $993 | 52 | |
| Damman | No union | Highline | $992 | 53 | |
| Darrington | $878 | Tumwater | $992 | 54 | |
| Davenport | $764 | Burlington-Edison | $991 | 55 | |
| Dayton & Starbuck | $862 | Orcas | $986 | 56 | |
| Deer Park | $946 | Puyallup | $986 | 57 | |
| Dieringer | $723 | Evergreen (Clark) | $986 | 58 | |
| Dixie | No union | Sultan | $984 | 59 | |
| East Valley | $885 | Napavine | $982 | 60 | |
| East Valley | $938 | Chehalis | $979 | 61 | |
| Eastmont | $1,105 | Mercer Island | $978 | 62 | |
| Easton | $796 | Peninsula | $977 | 63 | |
| Eatonville | $785 | Castle Rock | $970 | 64 | |
| Edmonds | $999 | Tahoma | $970 | 65 | |
| Ellensburg | $921 | Coupeville | $968 | 66 | |
| Elma | $895 | Cheney | $967 | 67 | |
| Endicott | $764 | Snoqualmie | $965 | 68 | |
| Entiat | $829 | San Juan Island | $962 | 69 | |
| Enumclaw | $929 | Sumner | $962 | 70 | |
| Ephrata | $779 | Tenino | $958 | 71 | |
| Evaline | No union | Yelm Community | $958 | 72 | |
| Everett | $1,129 | Riverview | $958 | 73 | |
| Evergreen (Clark) | $986 | West Valley (Spokane) | $958 | 74 | |
| Evergreen (Stevens) | No union | Tacoma | $955 | 75 | |
| Federal Way | $944 | Winlock | $955 | 76 | |
| Ferndale | $1,070 | Deer Park | $946 | 77 | |
| Fife | $919 | Federal Way | $944 | 78 | |
| Finley | $886 | Zillah | $943 | 79 | |
| Forks | $825 | University Place | $942 | 80 | |
| Franklin Pierce | $1,004 | Hoquim | $942 | 81 | |
| Freeman | $869 | Grandview | $939 | 82 | |
| Garfield | $874 | Lynden | $938 | 83 | |
| Glenwood | $789 | Selah | $938 | 84 | |
| Goldendale | $783 | East Valley | $938 | 85 | |
| Grand Coulee Dam | $889 | Mount Baker | $938 | 86 | |
| Grandview | $939 | North River | $934 | 87 | |
| Granger | $859 | Toutle Lake | $934 | 88 | |
| Granite Falls | $894 | Woodland | $934 | 89 | |
| Grapeview | $758 | Central Valley | $933 | 90 | |
| Great Northern | No Union? | Lakewood | $933 | 91 | |
| Green Mountain | $780 | South Whidbey | $933 | 92 | |
| Griffin | $895 | Enumclaw | $929 | 93 | |
| Harrington | $874 | Clover Park | $928 | 94 | |
| Highland | $831 | Port Townsend | $925 | 95 | |
| Highline | $992 | Cascade | $925 | 96 | |
| Hockinson | $909 | Sunnyside | $925 | 97 | |
| Hood Canal | $761 | Ellensburg | $921 | 98 | |
| Hoquim | $942 | Columbia (Walla Walla) | $921 | 99 | |
| Inchelium | $794 | West Valley (Yakima) | $920 | 100 | |
| Index | No union | Fife | $919 | 101 | |
| Issaquah | $1,018 | Meridian | $918 | 102 | |
| Kahlotus | $752 | Wapato | $915 | 103 | |
| Kalama | $874 | Steilacoom Historical | $915 | 104 | |
| Keller | No union | Vancouver | $912 | 105 | |
| Kelso | $1,001 | Kettle Falls | $910 | 106 | |
| Kennewick | $1,053 | Hockinson | $909 | 107 | |
| Kent | $1,342 | Kiona-Benton City | $909 | 108 | |
| Kettle Falls | $910 | Bainbridge Island | $909 | 109 | |
| Kiona-Benton City | $909 | North Beach | $907 | 110 | |
| Kittitas | $891 | Oakville | $896 | 111 | |
| Klickatat | $781 | Vashon Island | $895 | 112 | |
| La Center | $886 | Elma | $895 | 113 | |
| La Conner | $872 | Griffin | $895 | 114 | |
| Lacrosse | No union | Toledo | $895 | 115 | |
| Lake Chelan | $841 | Granite Falls | $894 | 116 | |
| Lake Stevens | $1,093 | Cle Elum-Carson | $891 | 117 | |
| Lake Washington | $1,018 | Kittitas | $891 | 118 | |
| Lakewood | $933 | Naches Valley | $891 | 119 | |
| Liberty | $874 | Union Gap | $891 | 120 | |
| Lind | $764 | Washougal | $890 | 121 | |
| Longview | $1,090 | Aberdeen | $890 | 122 | |
| Loon Lake | $754 | Quincy | $889 | 123 | |
| Lopez Island | $998 | Grand Coulee Dam | $889 | 124 | |
| Lyle | $831 | Omak | $889 | 125 | |
| Lynden | $938 | Rochester | $887 | 126 | |
| Mabton | $1,011 | Camas | $887 | 127 | |
| Mansfield | $779 | Montesano | $887 | 128 | |
| Manson | $779 | La Center | $886 | 129 | |
| Mary M Knight | $773 | Ocean Beach | $886 | 130 | |
| Mary Walker | No union | Colville | $886 | 131 | |
| Marysville | $1,179 | Finley | $886 | 132 | |
| McCleary | $795 | East Valley | $885 | 133 | |
| Mead | $1,026 | Nooksack Valley | $884 | 134 | |
| Medical Lake | $814 | Ridgefield | $884 | 135 | |
| Mercer Island | $978 | Mossyrock | $883 | 136 | |
| Meridian | $918 | Rainier | $883 | 137 | |
| Methow Valley | $844 | Shelton | $883 | 138 | |
| Mill | $770 | Centralia | $882 | 139 | |
| Monroe | $1,101 | Taholah | $881 | 140 | |
| Montesano | $887 | Mount Adams | $879 | 141 | |
| Morton | $875 | Conway | $878 | 142 | |
| Moses Lake | $996 | Darrington | $878 | 143 | |
| Mossyrock | $883 | Orting | $878 | 144 | |
| Mount Adams | $879 | Morton | $875 | 145 | |
| Mount Baker | $938 | Asotin-Anatone | $874 | 146 | |
| Mount Pleasant | No union | Garfield | $874 | 147 | |
| Mount Vernon | $1,082 | Kalama | $874 | 148 | |
| Mukilteo | $1,103 | Naselle Grays River | $874 | 149 | |
| Naches Valley | $891 | Harrington | $874 | 150 | |
| Napavine | $982 | Liberty | $874 | 151 | |
| Naselle Grays River | $874 | Nine Mile Falls | $874 | 152 | |
| Nespelem | $829 | Palouse | $874 | 153 | |
| Newport | $838 | Clarkston | $873 | 154 | |
| Nine Mile Falls | $874 | La Conner | $872 | 155 | |
| Nooksack Valley | $884 | Soap Lake | $871 | 156 | |
| North Beach | $907 | Freeman | $869 | 157 | |
| North Franklin | $828 | White River | $866 | 158 | |
| North Kitsap | $1,099 | Okanogan | $863 | 159 | |
| North Mason | $821 | Trout Lake | $862 | 160 | |
| North River | $934 | Dayton & Starbuck | $862 | 161 | |
| North Thurston | $1,042 | Othello | $862 | 162 | |
| Northport | $829 | Royal | $860 | 163 | |
| Northshore | $1,057 | Granger | $859 | 164 | |
| Oak Harbor | $1,110 | Chewelah | $850 | 165 | |
| Oakesdale | $764 | Cusick | $850 | 166 | |
| Oakville | $896 | Adna | $847 | 167 | |
| Ocean Beach | $886 | White Pass | $847 | 168 | |
| Ocosta | $835 | Methow Valley | $844 | 169 | |
| Odessa | $764 | Pullman | $844 | 170 | |
| Okanogan | $863 | Wahluke | $844 | 171 | |
| Olympia | $1,032 | Toppenish | $843 | 172 | |
| Omak | $889 | Selkirk | $842 | 173 | |
| Onalaska | $823 | Lake Chelan | $841 | 174 | |
| Onion Creek | No union | Newport | $838 | 175 | |
| Orcas | $986 | Sequim | $835 | 176 | |
| Orchard Prairie | No union | Ocosta | $835 | 177 | |
| Orient | No union | Quinault Lake | $835 | 178 | |
| Orondo | $781 | Highland | $831 | 179 | |
| Oroville | $810 | Lyle | $831 | 180 | |
| Orting | $878 | Stevenson-Carson | $830 | 181 | |
| Othello | $862 | Cashmere | $829 | 182 | |
| Palisades | No union | Entiat | $829 | 183 | |
| Palouse | $874 | Nespelem | $829 | 184 | |
| Pasco | $1,063 | Northport | $829 | 185 | |
| Pateros | $817 | Tonasket | $829 | 186 | |
| Paterson | No union | North Franklin | $828 | 187 | |
| Pe Ell | $785 | Colfax | $826 | 188 | |
| Peninsula | $977 | Colton | $826 | 189 | |
| Pioneer | $761 | Forks | $825 | 190 | |
| Pomeroy | No union | Wahkiakum | $824 | 191 | |
| Port Angeles | $821 | Onalaska | $823 | 192 | |
| Port Townsend | $925 | North Mason | $821 | 193 | |
| Prescott | $752 | Port Angeles | $821 | 194 | |
| Prosser | $802 | Pateros | $817 | 195 | |
| Pullman | $844 | Raymond | $815 | 196 | |
| Puyallup | $986 | Vader | $814 | 197 | |
| Queets-Clearwater | No Union? | Medical Lake | $814 | 198 | |
| Quilcene | $809 | Republic | $814 | 199 | |
| Quinault Lake | $835 | Ritzville | $814 | 200 | |
| Quincy | $889 | Wellpinit | $814 | 201 | |
| Rainier | $883 | Oroville | $810 | 202 | |
| Raymond | $815 | Quilcene | $809 | 203 | |
| Reardan-Edwall | $790 | Brewster | $805 | 204 | |
| Renton | $1,004 | Prosser | $802 | 205 | |
| Republic | $814 | Touchet | $802 | 206 | |
| Richland | $1,043 | White Salmon Valley | $801 | 207 | |
| Ridgefield | $884 | Chimacum | $797 | 208 | |
| Ritzville | $814 | Willapa Valley | $796 | 209 | |
| Riverside | $994 | Easton | $796 | 210 | |
| Riverview | $958 | McCleary | $795 | 211 | |
| Rochester | $887 | South Bend | $795 | 212 | |
| Roosevelt | No union | Inchelium | $794 | 213 | |
| Rosalia | $764 | Reardan-Edwall | $790 | 214 | |
| Royal | $860 | Wishkah Valley | $790 | 215 | |
| San Juan Island | $962 | Glenwood | $789 | 216 | |
| Satsop | No union | Cosmopolis | $785 | 217 | |
| Seattle | $1,013 | Eatonville | $785 | 218 | |
| Sedro-Woolley | $1,118 | Pe Ell | $785 | 219 | |
| Selah | $938 | Goldendale | $783 | 220 | |
| Selkirk | $842 | Centerville | $781 | 221 | |
| Sequim | $835 | Klickatat | $781 | 222 | |
| Shaw Island | No union | Orondo | $781 | 223 | |
| Shelton | $883 | Thorp | $781 | 224 | |
| Shoreline | $1,164 | Wishram | $781 | 225 | |
| Skamania | No union | Green Mountain | $780 | 226 | |
| Skykomish | $1,032 | Bridgeport | $779 | 227 | |
| Snohomish | $1,126 | Ephrata | $779 | 228 | |
| Snoqualmie | $965 | Mansfield | $779 | 229 | |
| Soap Lake | $871 | Manson | $779 | 230 | |
| South Bend | $795 | Warden | $779 | 231 | |
| South Kitsap | $1,017 | Wilson Creek | $779 | 232 | |
| South Whidbey | $933 | Wilbur | $778 | 233 | |
| Southside | $735 | Mary M Knight | $773 | 234 | |
| Spokane | $1,123 | Mill | $770 | 235 | |
| Sprague-Lamont (Local Only) | Crescent | $765 | 236 | ||
| St John (Local Only) | $24 | Columbia (Stevens) | $764 | 237 | |
| Stanwood | $1,152 | Davenport | $764 | 238 | |
| Star | No union | Endicott | $764 | 239 | |
| Starbuck | No Union? | Lind | $764 | 240 | |
| Stehekin | No union | Oakesdale | $764 | 241 | |
| Steilacoom Historical | $915 | Odessa | $764 | 242 | |
| Steptoe | No union | Rosalia | $764 | 243 | |
| Stevenson-Carson | $830 | Tekoa | $764 | 244 | |
| Sultan | $984 | Washtucna | $764 | 245 | |
| Summit Valley | No union | Cape Flattery | $762 | 246 | |
| Sumner | $962 | Hood Canal | $761 | 247 | |
| Sunnyside | $925 | Pioneer | $761 | 248 | |
| Tacoma | $955 | Grapeview | $758 | 249 | |
| Taholah | $881 | Loon Lake | $754 | 250 | |
| Tahoma | $970 | Kahlotus | $752 | 251 | |
| Tekoa | $764 | Prescott | $752 | 252 | |
| Tenino | $958 | Waitsburg | $752 | 253 | |
| Thorp | $781 | Creston | $735 | 254 | |
| Toledo | $895 | Southside | $735 | 255 | |
| Tonasket | $829 | Dieringer | $723 | 256 | |
| Toppenish | $843 | Waterville | $180 | Local only | |
| Touchet | $802 | St John | $24 | Local only | |
| Toutle Lake | $934 | Sprague-Lamont | ? | Local only | |
| Trout Lake | $862 | Almira | No union | ||
| Tukwila | $1,009 | Benge | No union | ||
| Tumwater | $992 | Bickleton | No union | ||
| Union Gap | $891 | Boistfort | No union | ||
| University Place | $942 | Brinnon | No union | ||
| Vader | $814 | Carbonado | No union | ||
| Valley | No union | College Place | No union? | ||
| Vancouver | $912 | Coulee-Hartline | No union? | ||
| Vashon Island | $895 | Curlew | No union? | ||
| Wahkiakum | $824 | Damman | No union | ||
| Wahluke | $844 | Dixie | No union | ||
| Waitsburg | $752 | Evaline | No union | ||
| Walla Walla | $993 | Evergreen (Stevens) | No union | ||
| Wapato | $915 | Great Northern | No union? | ||
| Warden | $779 | Index | No union | ||
| Washougal | $890 | Keller | No union | ||
| Washtucna | $764 | Lacrosse | No union? | ||
| Waterville (Local only) | $180 | Mary Walker | No union? | ||
| Wellpinit | $814 | Mount Pleasant | No union | ||
| Wenatchee | $1,053 | Onion Creek | No union | ||
| West Valley (Spokane) | $958 | Orchard Prairie | No union | ||
| West Valley (Yakima) | $920 | Orient | No union | ||
| White Pass | $847 | Palisades | No union | ||
| White River | $866 | Paterson | No union | ||
| White Salmon Valley | $801 | Pomeroy | No union | ||
| Wilbur | $778 | Queets-Clearwater | No union? | ||
| Willapa Valley | $796 | Roosevelt | No union | ||
| Wilson Creek | $779 | Satsop | No union | ||
| Winlock | $955 | Shaw Island | No union | ||
| Wishkah Valley | $790 | Skamania | No union | ||
| Wishram | $781 | Star | No union | ||
| Woodland | $934 | Starbuck | No union? | ||
| Yakima | $1,047 | Stehekin | No union | ||
| Yelm Community | $958 | Steptoe | No union | ||
| Zillah | $943 | Summit Valley | No union | ||
| Valley | No union | ||||
| State Average | $997 |
