Slow learners: Union financial capers.

• Author: Lynch, Michael W.
• Position: Citings - Washington Education Association - Brief Article

IN DECEMBER A Washington state Superior Court judge schooled the Washington Education Association (WEA), the state's largest teachers union, on the nuances of labor law, handing it a $770,000 bill for the lesson.

The union, a potent force in Evergreen State politics, had been paying for political escapades with money collected from "agency fee payers." Agency fee payers are individuals who choose not to join the union. They don't have voting rights but are still forced to pay for the portion of union activity spent on contract negotiation and enforcement.

From 1996 to 2000, the WEA charged 8,000 dissidents 100 percent of dues and then proceeded to spend some of the money on politics. "WEA intentionally chose not to comply with the law," ruled judge Gary R. Tabor, who fined the union $400,000 and ordered it to hand the state $190,375...