If I am currently a member of WVEA, will I need to re-enroll to maintain my membership?
No! All current members of both organizations will automatically become members of Education West Virginia and the payment method that you currently use for paying your dues will be continued into the newly merged organization.
Will my dues be deducted in the same manner as they currently are?
Yes. Whatever form of payment that you currently use for your dues payment will be continued regardless of whether it is credit card, bank draft or check. The one change you will see will be the timing of the withdrawal. Beginning in September, credit card payments will be withdrawn on the 15th of each month and bank draft withdrawals will be aligned with your monthly county payroll dates.
Will dues increase?
Dues are determined by a formula based on average pay. As the average pay increases dues will increase slightly. The dues will increase slightly next year due to the average teacher pay (or pay grade D for service personnel) showing an increase.
Am I a member of both the NEA and AFT?
Yes. Members of Education West Virginia automatically are members of both national organizations as well as the WV AFL-CIO. You can take advantage of the member benefits from both organizations as well as networking and training opportunities.
Is Education West Virginia officially operating now?
There are still a number of things that must take place in order for us to be officially operating as a single entity (Education West Virginia) on September 1, 2025. Staff at WVEA, AFT-WV, NEA, and AFT are working together to make sure all those things are in place for a smooth transition in September. As we work through those items, the businesses of both AFT-WV and WVEA will continue to operate as normal. However, WVEA and AFT-WV will be working together on projects and issues at the state and local levels until the merger is official.
Can you give me more details?
This summer you will receive several emails and mailings with information about the new organization. Many of the details will not be available until some of the last remaining items are completed. The merger has many moving parts and lots of things that are interconnected. As soon as more detailed information is finalized it will be shared with members.
How will the merger impact me?
The merger will give education employees a stronger, unified voice. It will allow counties to draw on a bigger pool of members and volunteers. Both of these should provide benefits to all employees as we work toward better working conditions and more respect for educators. Education West Virginia will continue to provide the staff, support, communication, legal services, etc. that are currently provided by AFT-WV and WVEA.
