Dues

Unions are a business. They just don’t make anything. Their money comes from members who pay monthly dues (as well as assessments and fines levied by the union). In most cases, dues are approximately 2-3 times an employee’s hourly pay. That may not sound like much, but it can add up to a substantial sum over the course of a year.

Click HERE for a dues calculator to find out how much you might pay every month and every year to a union.

In addition, during collective bargaining, most unions are willing to negotiate with the company in order to get a dues “Check-Off” clause. The only things a union has to negotiate with are your wages and benefits. So that could mean a lost holiday, or a vacation day, or any other benefit. Dues Check-Off is advantageous to the union only. What it means is the company deducts your monthly union dues from your paycheck before you even get it. That way, the union makes sure it gets its money first.

You also need to know union dues are usually owed for every week of employment – not every week actually worked. This means that dues are owed “in arrears” and taken out after you return from a vacation or a leave of absence. For a long absence, those dues can add up quickly.

Here are some questions to ask union representatives:

• What will your dues amount be? How long will that amount be your required dues before there is an increase? You might ask them to put this in writing.
• Ask to see a budget and operating statement with salaries and other expenses for the union. By law, unions have to report how they spend their money every year. Don’t be afraid to ask. You deserve to see how your money would be spent and whether the union’s expenditures are reasonable.
• Are you expected to make political contributions? Ask if you have to provide money for the union’s political action committee. Ask what candidates the union supports and how they make those endorsement decisions.