"You see, much of the "union dues" teacher pay doesn't have anything to do with negotiating contracts or other services. A lot of it goes to a top-heavy staff of lobbyists and political operatives. Together, the NEA and AFT employ more than three thousand officials at an average annual compensation of more than $100,000. Much of this operation consists of political arm-twisters in the federal and state capitols." An Open Letter to Educators, Teacher Choice by Alveda King