What Is MEA?

The Marion Education Association (MEA) is a group of local teachers that is recognized as the legal bargaining agent for all instructional personnel in Marion County.  We are education professionals who take great pride in speaking for quality education practices and for serving and protecting our members’ best interests.

This joining together in pursuit of common interests is as old as the nation itself.  The Preamble to the Constitution aimed “To Build a More Perfect Union” when our Forefathers felt disenfranchised and abused by those in power.  In many ways, the education professional today feels a similar frustration, and deserves an equally effective way to translate those feelings into collective action.  In that respect, we are similar to the other professionals, like doctors and attorneys, who create professional alliances.

MEA, through and with its state and national affiliates, is such a professional organization that brings teachers together so that our voices as education professionals can be heard and respected.  When you become a member of MEA, you are supporting an organization that is working through the school system, the Legislature, and the community to build support for higher standards of conduct and achievement in our classrooms.

MEA works diligently to improve professional compensation and protecting our members’ rights through expert collective bargaining, grievance processing and political action.  At the same time, we are strong advocates for professionalism in education.  Thus, we offer training, seminars and workshops, as well as up-to-the-minute information on the constantly changing demands and requirements of our profession.

The heart of MEA goes beyond what the Association does for you.  The real question is, are you ready to be an active part of the Association?  Join MEA and help the unified profession achieve its economic and professional goals.  We can do together what none of us can do alone!

Imagine the future if we all work together!

Local – 1,500 voices

State – 129,000 voices

National – 4,200,000 voices

WHY BELONG TO MEA?

1. Promoting excellence in Public Education: MEA is there to ensure your voice is heard when it comes to improving the quality of education for the children of Marion County’s schools. 
   
2. Working in Your Best Interests: Contracting for professional salaries, job security, working conditions and fringe benefits are our priority.
   
3. Giving Personalized Assistance: Members can rely on leaders and staff to be there with personal representation when they are needed.
   
4. Standing by You in Times of Trouble: Your professional rights are vigorously defended through a robust Legal Services Program.
   
5. Enhancing Teacher Image and Performance: MEA, FEA, NEA and AFT provide professional development opportunities through a large variety of workshops, forums and conferences that are designed to help you do a better job.
   
6. Getting You What is Fair and Equitable:  MEA is justifiably proud of its record in resolving contract violations, settling grievances, and resolving other employee conflicts swiftly and favorably.
   
7. Publishing Up-To-Date materials: MEA members receive several valuable and informative professional publications from our affiliates FEA, NEA and AFT.
   
8. Purchasing Things You Use at a Discount: Members can now save more than the cost of their annual dues, starting with the new FEA Access Card.  Other member benefits include low-cost auto and home insurance, low-fee credit cards, high-yield annuities and many other discounted consumer goods and services. 

Our first-year members also receive $12,000 of FREE life insurance with guaranteed low-cost renewal options!

YOUR MEMBER BENEFITS INCLUDE:

•  Low Cost Auto, life, and Homeowners Insurance
  
• Magazine discounts
  
• Auto rental discounts
  
• Bargaining representation
  
• Free job-related Legal assistance
  
• Grievance representation
  
• Attorney referral service
  
• Attorney discounts
  
• Professional staff assistance
  
• NEA professional library
  
• Training/professional development
  
• Workshops and classroom materials
  
• Professional liability insurance
  
• Scholarship and grant opportunities
  
• Salary, benefits, job security
  
• Credit card programs
  
• Information and publications
  
• Personal assistance
  
• Lobbying, legislative and political action

A Few of MEA’s Contractual Accomplishments on Your Behalf:

• 
  
  Significant salary enhancement over the last nine years
  
  
• Teacher workday prior to report card entry deadline
  
• Supervisory-free lunch period
  
• Up to six personal days chargeable to sick leave (no reason need be given)
  
• Guaranteed teacher membership on District Committees
  
• Local School Committee for addressing issues to Principal
  
• Developmental process required prior to adverse evaluation
  
• Accountability of School Advisory Councils
  
• Sick Leave Bank opportunity
  
• Time-limited grievance procedure
  
• Right to view personnel file
  
• Right to respond in writing to adverse documents
  
• 255 minutes of Prep and Planning Time on the clock per week
  
• Stipend pay for ESOL endorsement completion
  
• Flexible dress code
  
• Just Cause disciplinary requirement
  
• Advance notice of teaching assignment  and consultation before change
  
• Right to confidential survey of administrative supervisors
  
• Voluntary participation in after-school and evening activities
  
• Participation in Job Description development process
  
• Discounted extended-day childcare
  
• Relief from maintenance and repair duties
  
• Protection from unsafe/hazardous working conditions
  
• Access to student discipline and arrest records

The contract is protected through active exercise of those rights enumerated therein and vigorous pursuit of grievances (MEA exclusive right).

You strengthen the contract by your membership in and support of your professional association – the largest labor organization in Marion County.

MEA Does Not Work Alone

 We receive funding, member benefits, staff assistance, professional publications, legal support, and expert lobbying in the halls of government where the rules you work by are hammered out in the democratic process, from our several state and local associations:

 The National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest professional employee organization, is committed to advancing the cause of public education. NEA's 3.2 million members work at every level of education—from pre-school to university graduate programs.  NEA has affiliate organizations in every state and they provide us locally with professional staff and administrative support.

The mission of the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO, is to improve the lives of its members and their families, to give voice to their legitimate professional, economic and social aspirations, to strengthen the institutions in which they work, to improve the quality of the services they provide, to bring together all members to assist and support one another and to promote democracy, human rights and freedom in our union, in our nation and throughout the world.   Locally AFT provides quality staff development through the ER&D Program

The Florida Education Association (FEA) has a long,  proud history of advocating for its members, Florida’s children, and public schools.  With more than 129,000 members, including teachers, education staff professionals, higher education faculty, retired members, and students studying to be educators, we are the largest professional employee organization in Florida.  FEA is our voice in Tallahassee, working every day to make your professional life more bearable.