We expect NEA management to come to the table in good faith so that together we can create a contract that respects staff and the work we do, ensures staff can stay and grow within the organization, and adapts to the realities of the modern workplace.

• Fair Pay and Benefits: NEA employs some of the most talented practitioners in our field, and we are passionate about using our skills to do the very best for NEA members. Investing in staff allows us to stay in our jobs long term, benefitting the organization as well as individuals. NEASO staff have invested their lives in the work to protect the future of public education. We deserve to be able to grow within the organization and retire from that work with security.

• A Voice in Our Work: Educators need their unions now more than ever. When our staff has the influence and capacity to shape the direction of our work we are better able to use our expertise to support our members. NEASO staff are experts in what we do, and we must have processes that ensure our voices are heard in decisions around staffing, workload management, and the hiring of contractors.

• Mobility and Flexibility: NEA needs a workforce that is able to be as mobile and flexible as the work we do. It’s time to expand the concept of the workplace to adapt to the realities of the 21st century and make policies that show trust in employees. Technology allows us to complete work in ways that were once impossible and we should adjust work plans accordingly to focus on the work being done rather than physical presence. As our definition of a workplace expands, we must also expand protections of worker physical, mental, and financial well-being.