Illinois Federation of Teachers, American Federation of Teachers spend a lot, but not on teachers

The federal filings of the Illinois Federation of Teachers and its national affiliate, the American Federation of Teachers, reveal questionable spending, with little spent on representing teachers, millions spent on politics and deficit spending while the big boss got $500K.

Teachers in Illinois can spend hundreds of dollars a year in union dues, but those dues don’t stay local: Most of it goes up the chain to the local union’s state and national affiliates.

Their own accounting shows those affiliates don’t use much of that money to represent local teachers.

One of the largest teachers unions in Illinois is the Illinois Federation of Teachers, the state-level affiliate of the Chicago Teachers Union. Each year, IFT and its national affiliate, the American Federation of Teachers, file reports with the U.S Department of Labor.

Those federal filings are telling. Teachers should know what those filings reveal about how IFT and AFT bosses spend their membership dues.

Concerned teachers have options that can keep the unions from siphoning money that mainly advances union bosses’ priorities rather than local teachers’ interests. Teachers can stop paying dues by opting out of union membership yet maintain all the raises and other benefits their employers provide.

IFT did not prioritize teachers in 2023

IFT’s federal filing with the U.S. Department of Labor shows just over one-quarter of the union’s spending is on representing teachers, which should be the core focus. It spent more than $1 million on politics – mostly for unspecified purposes – and paid dozens of its own employees six-figure salaries.

Just 28% of IFT’s spending in 2023 was on representing teachers

IFT’s most recent report shows it spent little last year on “representational activities,” which the U.S. Department of Labor defines as including the negotiation of a collective bargaining agreement and the administration and enforcement of the resulting contract.

IFT spent a total of $47.97 million in 2023, but just $13.43 million was on representing teachers. That’s just 28%.

The rest was spent on politics, administration and other union leadership priorities.

To put this in perspective, the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance states at least 65% of a nonprofit’s total expenses should be on program activities.

While the Wise Giving Alliance evaluates spending by charities, it stands to reason IFT’s spending of just 28% on representation – the purpose of a union – should be a cause for concern among members.

IFT spent more than $1 million on politics in 2023 – with the vast majority going toward unspecified purposes

IFT spent more than $1 million on “political activities and lobbying” in 2023 – the first time it has broached that mark since 2014.

Of the $1,055,390 it spent on politics in 2023, only $69,712 was “itemized” by recipient in the union’s federal filing. The top recipient mentioned was Climate Jobs Illinois Education Fund, which received $25,000 from the union.

But over $985,000 in political spending and lobbying was not itemized, meaning members have no way of knowing on what political causes or candidates it was spent.

Nearly 60 IFT officers and employees made six-figure salaries in 2023

While IFT fails to prioritize representing teachers, it certainly does not fail to funnel large amounts of money to its own employees.

Nearly 60 officers and employees made over $100,000 in 2023, with 16 making over $200,000. “Field Service” employee Jonathan Nadler cleared $300,000.

Notably, the average teacher in Illinois makes less than $74,000, according to the Illinois State Board of Education. It appears IFT is taking teacher union dues to prop up its own expensive employees while spending just 28 cents of every dollar on actually representing those teachers.

Another big IFT earner: Chicago Teachers Union president Stacy Davis Gates, who pulled in $77,444 from IFT in 2023 in addition to her $175,000 salary from CTU, according to that union’s 2023 federal filing.

In total, IFT spent $12.34 million on its own officers and employees’ salaries. Despite the fact IFT takes money from teachers all over the state, it funded politically-volatile leaders such as Davis Gates.

AFT’s federal filing revealed questionable spending in 2023

The American Federation of Teachers took in just over $283 million in 2023 but spent nearly $340 million – meaning it spent $56.75 million more than it received.

Yet just 27% of that spending was on representing teachers – what should be its main focus. Instead, it spent millions on politics and gave hundreds of its own officers and employees six-figure incomes – with President Randi Weingarten raking in $500,000 last year.

Just 27% of AFT’s spending in 2023 was on representing teachers

Like state affiliate IFT, AFT failed to prioritize spending on teachers in 2023. In total, the union spent $339.89 million. Yet just $93.06 million was on “representational activities” – which should be the core purpose of the union.

That’s just 27% of its spending.

This is in stark contrast to the 65% the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance says should be spent on an organization’s main programming.

AFT spent nearly $47 million on politics in 2023

Like other teachers unions, AFT is a political machine. In 2023, the union spent $47 million on “political activities and lobbying.”

AFT’s political disbursements included $1.5 million to For our Future Action Fund, which claims to run “the largest, permanent progressive field program across key states.”

But the nearly $47 million AFT spent on politics in 2023 doesn’t include the additional $7.25 million it gave in “contributions, gifts and grants,” which are often political in nature – such as the $100,000 it gave to the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

AFT President Randi Weingarten paid $500,000 in 2023

While AFT’s members may not be seeing the benefits of sending hundreds of dollars a year up the chain to the national affiliate, union officers and employees sure do. At least 260 of its employees make over $100,000. More than 60 make over $200,000, with President Randi Weingarten pulling in $498,781.

In total, AFT spent $49.13 million on its own officer and employee salaries.

As with other aspects of NEA’s disbursements, it’s spending on hundreds of its own officers and employees demonstrates its lack of respect for teachers. The average teacher in Illinois makes less than $74,000, yet teachers send hundreds of dollars in dues to IFT and NEA each year.

Teachers have other options

Illinois educators who want more control over their dues have options:

• Teachers can get liability insurance and legal protection elsewhere. Educators can join other associations, such as the Association of American Educators. AAE, which has more than 30,000 members across the country, provides liability insurance and legal protection to public school employees – typically at a fraction of the cost of union membership.
• Teachers can opt out of union membership and keep all employer-provided benefits. By opting out of union membership, a teacher stops paying dues to the union yet retains all benefits that are provided in the collective bargaining agreement with the school district.

Opting out doesn’t mean educators don’t support their local bargaining unit. In fact, educators are free to send voluntary donations to their local bargaining units without being members – thereby helping to ensure their support stays local.

For more information, visit LeaveIFT.com.