National Education Association to pay $85,000 to settle eight-year old suit

OLYMPIA–The Attorney General’s Office and the Evergreen Freedom Foundation recently settled an eight-year old lawsuit against the National Education Association (NEA), which alleged the organization illegally used fees paid to it by non-members for political purposes. The suit, filed in Thurston County Superior Court in October 2002, alleged the NEA violated a state law barring unions from using non-member fees for political purposes without permission.

While the NEA does not admit any violation, it agreed to pay a total of $85,000 in fines and fees under a settlement entered yesterday in Thurston County Superior Court. The parties agreed to the settlement “to resolve the dispute between them without the expense and uncertainty of continued litigation.”

The NEA will pay $50,000 in civil penalties to the state of Washington and $35,000 attorney fees and costs to the Evergreen Freedom Foundation.

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Contact: Janelle Guthrie, APR, Attorney General’s Office, 360-584-3046