Madison Teachers, Inc. (MTI)

MTI claims more than 2,500 members and describes itself as a “social justice” organization that works to advance left-of-center social and political policies.  ¹

Structure

Madison Teachers operates three bargaining groups: Teachers, educational support professionals (ESPs), and substitute and off-campus program teachers.  ¹ Its teachers’ bargaining unit is a local union of the National Education Association (NEA) and Wisconsin Education Association Council, but its ESP and substitute teacher bargaining units are standalone unions that do not pay dues to state or national unions. ²

Unusually for a labor union, MTI is not recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(5) of the Internal Revenue Code, which is reserved for labor and agricultural organizations. ³ Instead, it is recognized under Section 501(c)(6), which provides tax exemption for “business leagues,” which include trade associations, chambers of commerce, real estate boards, and professional football leagues. ⁴

Activism

Madison Teachers engages in left-of-center political and social advocacy.  ⁵ In its annual tax filings to the Internal Revenue Service, MTI says its mission is, in part, to “advance social justice and dismantle systems of oppression at a local, state, and national level.” ³

MTI operates “Activism Fairs” where it organizes students, parents, and community members to pressure elected officials to enact union-friendly policies. ⁶

Its MTI-Voters political action committee makes candidate endorsements and coordinates its political activities with the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO’s South Central Federation of Labor. ⁵

On May 1, 2026, Madison public schools were forced to close after 70 percent of MTI’s members voted to participate in “A Day Without Immigrants” protests organized by Voces de la Frontera. ⁷

Opposition to Act 10

In 2011, Wisconsin’s legislature passed and then-Gov. Scott Walker (R) signed Act 10, which limited collective bargaining for most state government and public school district employees. ⁸

The process of the legislation’s passage was contentious, and included an occupation of the state’s Capitol by labor union members and left-wing allies. ⁹ Madison Teachers members participated in what was reported as a “sick-out” in which teachers called in sick to participate in protests, forcing the closure of Madison public schools for lack of staff. ^{10  11}

MTI sued to overturn Act 10 and was granted summary judgement in its favor by a trial court in 2012. ⁸ The Wisconsin Supreme Court ultimately reversed the trial court and ruled against MTI in 2014, upholding Act 10. ⁸

In November 2016, a Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel investigation found that MTI’s membership had dropped roughly 30 percent since Act 10’s passage in 2011. ¹²

Financials

In 2024, Madison Teachers reported collecting $1,140,271 in dues from its members.  ³

In 2024 and 2025, the National Education Association made a total of $77,500 in “School Improvement Grants” to MTI. ¹³