About CEAFU

Concerned Educators Against Forced Unionism (CEAFU), is a Special Project of the National Right to Work Legal Defense and Education Foundation, Inc.  As such, CEAFU is dedicated to eliminating coercive power and compulsory unionism through public information and education programs.

CEAFU was established in 1975 to take dead aim at one of the most serious threats to academic freedom in America today — compulsory unionism. We are composed of educators, citizens, parents, and students who believe that no one should be required to join or support a union as a condition of employment. CEAFU has been at the forefront in the battle against forced unionism abuses in public education for more than 37 years.

Before 1975, teachers had no professional alternatives to teacher union membership, and teacher union officials were well on their way to realizing their dream “. . . of controlling who enters, who stays, and who leaves the [teaching] profession,” as past National Education Association president George Fischer described it in 1970.

CEAFU’s nationally-recognized program addresses the question: Who is going to decide who teaches our children — taxpaying citizens and their elected representatives or union officials growing huge treasuries from the forced dues from independent teachers? We take the side of parents, professors, teachers, and the students.

Teachers in all states have alternatives to teacher union membership. We believe it’s essential that teachers – and students – receive objective information on this topic so important to educational quality and academic freedom.

In order to meet this need, CEAFU provides:

• alternatives to teacher union membership, including non-union educator organizations and obtaining liability insurance;
• reliable legal information on Right to Work, monopoly bargaining, union security in each state;
• reliable information for charter school employees on their workplace rights;
• access to free, confidential legal aid through the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation;
• newsclips and alerts on breaking news about compulsory unionism and noneducational issues teachers unions advocate;
• blogs and reviews on articles and books on the latest news involving compulsory unionism, and selected education reform efforts;
• CEAFU supporters will be able to view and participate in live presentations by eminent education reformers, on issues of interest to teachers and other educators;
• profiles of courageous teachers who have defied teacher union officials and paved the road to freedom for all teachers, to inspire you;
• studies and analysis on union political spending, NEA and AFT LM-2’s, state bargaining laws for teachers and;
• an extensive archives collection on NEA and AFT teacher unions and compulsory unionism.

For professional educator groups, The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation has established the Equal Access Project, designed to pave the way for independent, non-union professional organizations to be able to communicate with teachers in an individual school the same way teacher union officials are able to do. Through the Equal Access Project, these organizations are free to communicate with teachers free from union intervention through meetings, school mailboxes and most other means of communication through the employer school.  This right has long been enjoyed only by certain groups, especially teacher unions.