Why YOU Belong in the VEA
July 2, 2026
July 2, 2026
1. Your Voice Just Got Louder
Single voices unified are amplified and much harder to ignore. Members create change—change that matters for your students, your school, and your colleagues. A collective voice leads to improvements in your workplace, in state and local funding decisions, and in the halls of power. Join the growing chorus of progress!
2. Your Bank Account Could Grow, Too
Using that collective voice to advocate for professional salaries, broad health care coverage, and sound retirement benefits leads not only to a better situation for you, but real progress in making education a more appealing career to many who would excel in our schools.
3. You’ll Have Resources to Help Make You Even Better at Your Job
You went into education because you want to work with young people and help them become themselves and take the reins as the next generation. Your union stands ready to offer professional development opportunities and instructional resources to help you sharpen your skills and better serve your students.
4. You’ll Find Your People
Being part of your local union, the VEA, and the NEA, as part of your unified membership, will put you in touch with like-minded educators in your community, across the Commonwealth, and across the nation. The networking and support possibilities are endless.
5. You Can Fight for What’s Right
You’ve seen first-hand the inequities that many students face. Union membership offers you the chance to join forces with educators everywhere to make a difference on the social justice issues that matter most to you and your community.
6. Your Workplace Will Change for the Better
You and your fellow members will have a position of leverage as you sit down with administrators, parents, and community organizations in order to form partnerships and collaborate on solutions for issues in your school.
7. You’ll be Better-Protected
As collective bargaining becomes more widespread in Virginia, you and your colleagues will have contracts that protect your rights.
8. Your Students Will Be Better Off, Too
Using your union’s influence to improve your working conditions is a win for everyone, because your working conditions are also students’ learning conditions. When your union fights for smaller classes, fewer standardized tests, more curriculum input, better school policies, and safer buildings, your students win.
9. You’ll Feel More Secure in Your Job
As a union member, you’re eligible for professional liability insurance through NEA’s Educators Employment Liability program—and that’s a very good thing, because we live in a very litigious society and school employees can have significant liability potential. Your union has your back.
10. Your Membership Pays Financial Dividends
Being part of a large national organization comes with a lot of buying power, too. Through NEA Member Benefits and VEA’s Access program, you’ll save serious money from national retailers on everything from classroom supplies to cars.
According to a poll conducted by Virginia Commonwealth University, 66% of Virginians say public schools do not have enough funding to meet their needs.
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