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ever, the NEA must answer this question:

lions of dollars annually to which they are

How often and for what purpose did local

not entitled. With competition to provide

and state NEA affiliates request assistance on

representation services, the flagrant NEA/

collective bargaining from the NEA? No

AFT exaggeration of the costs of bargaining

doubt the number of times and kinds of help

would be exposed promptly. The NEA and

requested vary from year to year. But since

AFT (whose claims are even more exaggerat-

NEA affiliates have been bargaining since the

ed than the NEA's) would be forced either to

late 1960s, there should be a solid evidentiary

drastically reduce their dues, thereby implic-

base to support the NEA's claims that 62 to

itly conceding that they had exaggerated the

65 percent of its expenditures were devoted

cost of bargaining for decades, or compete

to assisting local and state affiliates on col-

against service providers who provide the

lective bargaining matters. (The state and

same or better service for a fraction of the

local affiliate percentages allegedly devoted

amount charged by NEA/AFT.

to collective bargaining are much higher.) So

how often does the need for help arise?

The Reforms in Operation

Chanin has never said, publicly at least, even

though he has been in an excellent position

to know how often and for what purpose

The proposed reforms would maximize

local and state NEA affiliates have requested

teachers' ability to make informed decisions

and received help from NEA.

about representation. Parties interested in

According to Chanin, NEA capability is like

serving as exclusive representatives would

insurance--it's there when you need it. In the

inform bargaining unit members of the ser-

insurance field, however, providers are con-

vices offered, fees, and any other helpful

stantly revising the cost of insurance accord-

information. All members of the bargaining

ing to the frequency of claims. For example,

unit would receive these materials and have

insurance companies raised their rates on dis-

opportunities to hear the candidates and

aster insurance after September 11, 2001, as a

vote for their choice of representative.

result of the changes in their payout experi-

Obviously, the members of the bargaining

ence. At the same time, competition between

unit would need a neutral way of organizing

insurance companies prevents the costs of

the meetings and elections to choose a bar-

insurance from getting out of hand.

gaining agent. That might (but would not

In public education, however, there is no

necessarily) require an organization to nego-

competition to provide the back-up bargain-

tiate with the service providers.

With competition

ing services that the NEA and its state affili-

Estreicher argues that the state labor

ates allegedly provide. The data on the issue

agencies should supervise the meetings at

to provide repre-

would weaken the NEA's claim that a sub-

which unit members make the six critical

sentation

stantial majority of NEA's expenditures go

decisions listed earlier. In practice, govern-

for assistance to affiliates on collective bar-

ment supervision of all of them might not be

services, the fla-

gaining matters.16 The claim that the NEA

necessary. The problem is that government

grant NEA/AFT

national office spent about $137,000,000 in

regulations and decisions will often be deci-

exaggeration of

1999-2000 on collective bargaining services

sive, but the supervising agency is likely to

for state and local affiliates is simply prepos-

become highly politicized for that reason.

the costs of

terous.17 With even less justification, the

This point was dramatically illustrated by

bargaining would

NEA's state affiliates in the bargaining law

California's  1976  Agricultural  Labor

states claim to spend a higher percentage of

Relations Act. The act included a provision

be exposed

their dues income for collective bargaining

requiring the Agricultural Labor Relations

promptly.

services to their local affiliate.

Board to follow NLRA precedent when app-

Conservatively speaking, the NEA/AFT

licable. In every case in which NLRA prece-

and their state affiliates receive tens of mil-

dent was deemed applicable, the ALRB held

7