Are you interested in leaving the Bridgeport Education Association and stopping dues from being deducted from your paycheck?

Here’s what you need to know about canceling your BEA union membership:

• Union membership is not mandatory for teachers.
• Leaving the teachers association will not affect your teaching contract or your tenure.
• Negotiated benefits such as salary and health insurance are not dependent on union membership.
• You are not alone. Thousands of teachers have chosen to leave their teachers union. Hear educators share their stories.
• Other non-union teacher associations can provide liability insurance, legal representation, and other benefits, often at a fraction of the cost.

If you want to leave the Bridgeport Education Association, timing matters. The union has said teachers have until August 31 to decide whether or not they want to stay in the union. If you decide to cancel your membership after that date it could be a lot more challenging to exercise your rights before next year. 

How to Cancel Your Bridgeport Education Association Membership

If you have decided to cancel your BEA membership, we can help guide you through the process.

• Go to our Connecticut resource page.
• Fill out the form to personalize the opt out letter with your information.
• Download or email yourself a copy of the letter.
• Send a signed copy of the letter via U.S. mail to the Bridgeport Education Association (4750 Main St, Bridgeport, CT 06606) and your employer by August 31.

What If You Get Pushback or Are Told You Missed the Opt Out Window?

If you send your employer and the Bridgeport Education Association your opt out letter and are told you have to wait to leave your union, you can ask them to keep it on file for that window, or get help opting out sooner.

Some experts believe that the Supreme Court ruling in Janus v. AFSCME means teachers should not be locked into a membership they were forced to have as a condition of employment and are free to opt out any time. Several organizations are successfully working with teachers to help them resign outside of their union’s opt out window. If you need help, please contact us at info@teacherfreedom.org.