Utah teachers’ union sued for allegedly lying about political spending

The Utah Education Association is being accused of violating state law when it argued teacher dues don’t fund the union’s political activism.

The UEA allegedly violated Utah’s Truth in Advertising law when it claimed “member dues are never used to fund political parties or candidate campaigns.”

This and other statements caused the Freedom Foundation, a workers’ rights group, and Cole Kelley, a longtime educator and member of the Utah State Board of Education, to file a lawsuit.

“Unions like the UEA often operate a political action committee funded by voluntary contributions solicited from members and use these highly visible funds to deflect questions about whether members’ dues are used for politics,” said Freedom Foundation Director of Government Affairs Maxford Nelsen. 

“Unbeknownst to most teachers, the vast majority of teachers unions’ political spending is financed with member dues, and the UEA is no different.” 

Teachers’ unions almost exclusively support far-left causes and organizations. For example, the National Education Association (NEA) gave millions of dollars to leftist groups including: 

• Building Back Together, the Biden administration’s lobbying group 

• Progressive Caucus Action Fund, whose members include Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and the transgender-identifying Rep. Sarah McBride 

• Democratic Governors Association 

• The Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network 

• EMILY’s List, a pro-abortion group 

• And Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign 

The lawsuit alleges over $200 of each UEA member’s dues are diverted to the NEA to fund far-left political activism. 

 “I’ve watched people pay dues to the union based on a lot of misinformation and a lot of half-truths,” plaintiff Cole Kelley told local media. “I think it’s important for teachers to know the truth of what they are, and who they represent. 

“By definition, if you’re a UEA member, a portion of the dues you pay is going to the NEA and being used to finance political candidates and campaigns.” 

A UEA spokesperson declined to comment on the lawsuit, but said the union “remains committed to serving Utah public educators and the students they serve with integrity, respect and transparency.” 

Kelley disagrees. 

“It is time for teachers to hold the UEA accountable for its misleading information,” he concluded. “I’m grateful for the Freedom Foundation’s willingness to stand with me and call out the false and misleading statements put out by the teachers’ union. The truth matters.”