Membership Benefits

Here are 8 good reasons to join UMPSA/MEA/NEA:

#1 Your paycheck:: UMPSA will help you obtain better salaries and benefits through collective bargaining. Your Association works to secure fair salaries and benefits for all unit members.
#2 Your program:: MEA and NEA help unit members through a comprehensive government relations program and lobbies for adequate funds for the University of Maine System.
#3 Your job:: It is UMPSA's job to see that the rights, wages and benefits you are entitled to in your workplace are observed. Should a member's contractual rights be violated, UMPSA will pursue the grievance to arbitration in order to enforce the contract. If a state or federal law is violated, UMPSA and MEA will file suit. UMPSA campus representatives along with MEA staff and MEA attorneys work together to provide the best possible advice and representation when it's needed most.
#4 Liability insurance:: The nature of your employment means you could be vulnerable to litigation, placing your home and savings at risk to claims no matter how unjust. To avoid this calamity, each UMPSA member automatically receives a $1 million professional liability insurance policy from the NEA as a member benefit. You are covered for educational employment both on and off University grounds.
#5 Communications:: Communications is an important service provided by UMPSA, the MEA and the NEA. Our combined efforts at internal and external communication weave a web of information to keep members and the public informed about issues of importance in higher education. Newspapers, newsletters, and constituent publications for higher education members keep everyone abreast of important education news.
#6 Data & Information:: MEA's Data and Information Department carefully tracks University funding, analyzes changes in funding, and provides detailed analysis of University budgets. The NEA Higher Education Contract Analysis System (HECAS) offers extensive comparative information on contract settlements for wages, benefits, and language. This means that your UMPSA negotiator has access to essential information at the bargaining table.
#7 Training & Development:: MEA provides a full range of training to UMPSA grievance representatives and officers to help build effective campus organizations,
#8 Consumer Benefits:: UMPSA membership doesn't cost, it pays! By using MEA and NEA Special Services, members can have fun, pocket big savings, and enjoy better consumer services. The money you save from using just a few of these programs can more than offset the cost of your dues.