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CEA Member Support
News posted specifically for supporting CEA members will be posted to the Teacher Support and Teacher's Rights 101 categories on the News section of this site.
The Value of Membership
Statistics prove you're a million times safer in a commercial airliner than you are in your own car. So why don't most people get "sweaty palms" moving down the driveway? The unlikely does happen, on the campus as well as in the skyways. No faculty member ever expects to be unfairly treated by the administration or trustees. But some faculty are every year. And if it ever happens to you, you'll be glad you are a CEA/CTA/NEA member...or you will wish you were.
There are a lot of reasons to join CEA/CTA/NEA. But the protection against the unlikely and the unexpected is a big one! CEA/CTA/NEA helps everyone who has a grievance under our contract, of course - that's part of being our exclusive bargaining agent. But, court suits are a different matter. Only members qualify, automatically, for representation by legal counsel.
Just about every non-member has a "good reason" for not joining CEA/CTA/NEA. Somebody maybe didn't like the guy who was CTA president back in '85. Someone else thinks the CTA office shouldn't be on Murchison Drive. You name it, we've heard it. We're asking you to forget the one reason you haven't joined CEA/CTA/NEA - and think about the many advantages of CEA/CTA/NEA membership.
- Members mean strength at the bargaining table, and the more clout we have in negotiations, the higher your salary and the better your working conditions.
- CEA/CTA/NEA affords its members a whole array of job protections, from expert representation in grievance hearings to legal help in court suits. CTA's Attorney Referral Plan provides members with free legal consultations and discounted fees on personal matters.
- CTA employs the state's foremost battery of education, labor, and civil service attorneys in California.
- Through the NEA, CTA can draw on two multi-million dollar defense funds, even to pay subsistence for faculty members unjustly laid off or suspended. CTA also offers its members low-cost insurance options, budget travel arrangements - programs that save members many times what they pay in dues each year.
- And CTA covers all it's members with a $1,000,000 professional liability policy, at no additional cost.
There are a lot more reasons to join! So why delay? Why not join CEA/CTA/NEA today for all the advantages of membership?
Why Join CTA/CEA?
CTA is the state's largest employee organization. It exists primarily to protect and advance the professional and economic interests of its members. With more than 340,000 members CTA is the strongest advocate for providing a free, quality public education to all children. Joining CTA ensures members a number of benefits through the Member Benefits Program. CTA members: Login to MyCTA to access information about professional development, training sessions, conferences, scholarships and a host of CTA Member Benefits programs that are available only to you.
Member Benefits
CTA membership provides economic clout, which allows members to take advantage of a number of valuable benefits, including low rates and substantial discounts on home loans, personal, life and car insurance, merchandise, travel and legal services.
Member Rights
A primary focus of CTA is ensuring your rights as an educational professional by helping your local association negotiate good contracts that improve teaching and learning conditions. CTA believes that education employees should be free from arbitrary and capricious decisions by their employers. When violations occur, CTA provides members the resources to defend their rights through appropriate legal or administrative channels.
Legal Protection
CTA members are automatically covered by a professional liability policy. Members receive up to $1 million in professional liability insurance, access to more than 40 different law firms offering free consultations and discounted fees on various personal legal services, and legal representation during reduction in force procedures and protection of due process rights.
Professional Development
CTA provides a comprehensive array of training programs on professional growth for members and local chapters. Statewide conferences include two Good Teaching conferences where teachers share best classroom practices. Other statewide conferences explore human rights, urban and rural issues, community outreach and educational leadership. Other trainings include information on collective bargaining, testing and accountability, English language learners, special education, classroom management, media relations and political action.
Education Voice
Most decisions on education policy and funding are made in Sacramento by legislators, the governor and bureaucrats. CTA is your strong and forceful advocate for public education and the teaching profession. CTA also coordinates an advertising campaign each year to promote and advance Association goals.
School Improvement
CTA is very much aware of the direct relationship between the revenue available for school districts and colleges and the economic security and well-being of its members. Throughout its history, CTA has been the prime mover in advancing legislation and programs to improve the conditions of teaching and learning in our public schools. CTA successfully fought to reduce class sizes in the lowest grades and continues to fight to expand that program. CTA won passage of the law to guarantee minimum funding protections for public schools. CTA is constantly advocating for adequate retirement benefits for education employees. CTA has led effort to provide additional resources to our schools of greatest need.
Member Communications
CTA keeps in touch with its members through written publications and through frequent meetings at the state, regional and local levels where members can voice their concerns and keep up-to-date on Association programs and activities. All members receive the California Educator and NEA Today, monthly magazines designed to keep members informed about trends in education, policy decisions, legislative progress and Association accomplishments.
Retirement
CTA works continuously for improvements in retirement benefits for education employees, while also monitoring the administration of the retirement system to protect it against unsound management or attempts to use the funds to balance the state budget.
MyCTA
Membership in CTA also means you get direct access to MyCTA -- the CTA members-only website. Once you join, login to MyCTA to access resources and information available only to you.
How to Join
Contact your site representative or the CEA Office and request a membership packet. They will answer any questions you have and help you to obtain your membership!