The Department of Labor launched a new tool Tuesday that gives union members and the public clearer information about how unions spend their money, including their political donations and salaries.
In a conversation with the Deseret News, the director of the Office of Labor-Management Standards, Elisabeth Messenger, explained that the department’s previous reporting software did not fully meet the guidelines set by recent accessibility laws. This new software makes the information easier to understand.
“We’re hoping union members look at the data and see it in a new light,” Messenger said.
Around the nation, about 70% of teachers participate in unions. Annual dues required for a teacher to join a union vary from state to state, but they typically range from around $600-$1,200.
Between 2004-2016, teachers’ unions’ political involvement increased, with political donations in the tens of millions. At least 94% of funds contributed to candidates and parties since 1990 have been given to Democrats, Open Secrets reported.
A breakdown of the National Education Association
The National Education Association has 2.8 million members across the U.S. The union’s president, Rebecca Pringle, makes more than $500,000. In the past four years, the position’s salary has increased by more than $50,000.
In 2025, NEA gave $123.3 million in gifts, grants and contributions, spent $59.5 million in union administration and put $87.8 million into investments and fixed assets.
Broken down, the group gave $8.6 million to the NEA Advocacy Fund. Historically, the NEA has given money from this fund largely to Democratic candidates across the states.
In 2025, the NEA also gave $4.2 million to M&R Strategic Services and $3.2 million to Support Our Schools Nebraska. The latter recently ran an initiative against tax-credit scholarships in the state.
The average gross salary for NEA employees and officials working for the D.C.-based headquarters is $119,382. The union spent 24% of its money on contributions, gifts and grants; while 10% was spent on political activities and lobbying and 9% on representational activities.
A quarter of American Federation of Teachers’ disbursements went to political activity in 2025
The national office of American Federation of Teachers has 1.8 million members. Its president, Randi Weingarten, also makes more than $500,000 annually.
The average gross salary of the union’s employees is $124,143.
While NEA’s membership base has decreased since 2022, AFT’s has risen by more than 100,000 members in the same time period.
In 2025, 14% of its payments went to political activities, with $500,000 going to the “Senate Majority Pac,” which is “dedicated to building a Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate.”
It also spent $250,000 on a “Democratic legislative campaign committee” and gave another $250,000 to the Economic Policy Institute.
Many of AFT’s affiliates, including the Montana Federation of Public Employees and New York City Teachers, have also spent significant amounts of money on political activities. With around 19,000 members, the Montana group spent more than 5% of its disbursements on political activities.
New York City’s AFT chapter, meanwhile, spent $4.6 million on political activities in 2025.
How do teachers’ unions compare with other unions?
Teachers’ unions are not alone in their tendency to give significant sums of money to political organizations.
With 1.9 million members, the Service Employees International Union spent over 14% of its disbursements ($53.2 million) on political activities in 2024.
The trend for large unions spending significant amounts of money on political activities continues through at least the 10 largest unions.
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees spent $64 million on political activities in 2024. Similarly, the United Food and Commercial Workers union spent about $15 million the same year.