UNION DUES

Paying dues and/or representation fees is an investment. It allows the union as a whole, both the local and the international to defend and protect Its members. By pooling their resources at the local and international level, the union can negotiate for, defend and protect its members. Members contribute at a rate that is relative to their wages, which allows all of us collectively to afford the representation that most of us could not afford individually. It’s like that old saying,” An effective union is a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.”

Specifically, because of your dues payment we are able to afford to perform such union functions as Organizing, contract negotiations, contract enforcement including grievance handling and arbitration, lobbying our Local, State and National Legislatures and Political Representatives in the pursuit of our purposes as written in Article II of our By-Laws which states:

“The purpose of our Organization shall be to unite all workers and to establish through collective bargaining adequate wage standards, shorter hours of work, and improvements in the conditions of employment; to secure legislation safeguarding the economic security and social welfare of the workers in the industry, to protect and extend our democratic institutions and civil rights and liberties and this to perpetuate the cherished traditions of our democracy.”

Research has shown that in every industry that we represent working people, unionized workers earn better wages and enjoy better working conditions than non-organized workers. In the 21 “right to work” sates where state law drastically limits workers right to bargain collectively regarding wages, hours, safety and other conditions of employment. The average pay is twenty (20) percent lower than in those states where workers are free to form strong unions.

The only mandated financial obligation on the employers in most non-organized work places as spelled out in the “Fair Labor Standards Act” is to pay the minimum wage (currently at $6.55 per hour) and time and a half for all hours worked over (40) hours in a work week. Those non-unionized employers who elect to pay better wages and benefits are not obligated to continue this practice because there is no contract between the company and their employees. Most of us know that a high level executive
such as a CEO would never walk into an employment situation without a contract. A contract which in many cases is negotiated with the assistance of legal representation which the CEO is more than glad to pay for.

Our individual dues payments will help us collectively to continue to be able to negotiate contracts that improve our wages, benefits, safety, job security and other conditions of employment.

“Unions not only bargain, they are a bargain.”

Ben Morgan