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IBEW |
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FACT SHEET |
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Union Dues.... The Facts |
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What are Union Dues? Union dues are those funds provided by union
members to financially support the goals of their organization. In the IBEW, union dues are divided into two parts: The international portion of dues goes to support the representational, research, legal, administrative, and
legislative goals of the organization's members on a national level. The local union portion of dues goes to support the goals of the local union's members at the local union level.
How much are the IBEW's dues? The IBEW's dues structure is as follows:
*"A" members participate in a voluntary pension plan and death benefit insurance plan which costs $11.30 per month above the $9.00 BA
rate. Local Union dues are determined by the local union membership subject to a $0.50 per month minimum. How is the amount of union dues determined? The members determine the
amount of union dues paid to their local and international union by a democratic majority vote. Members must decide what amount of dues will be necessary to provide economic resources to achieve their goals.
What are initiation fees
? - An initiation fee is a charge to new members of a local union. In the IBEW, the initiation fee is purposely kept low (we want to invite new members in, not keep them out economically). For example, in most industrial (non-construction) locals, the one-time initiation fee is $35.00, and covers the first month's dues.
Who determines initiation fees? Again, the amount of any initiation fee is determined by the membership of the union in a democratic vote. Do unions collect dues for profit
? No. Unions are non-profit organizations under Section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code. The dues they collect from the members are for the specific purpose of benefiting the goals of the membership.
Does the union have any rules on financial propriety? Yes, very stringent rules. Any expenditure of local union funds must be approved by the membership. At each meeting, a financial report is presented to a
local union's members for approval by the membership. No local union can expend funds without prior approval of the members. Each Local Union is also required to provide a quarterly audit of its funds to the members.
Also, Unions are governed by the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959. This federal law provides very strict federal penalties, (including prison) for anyone misappropriating union funds. Unions must file
annual reports with the U.S. Department of Labor outlining expenditures and income for the union. Unions are subject to audit by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor Management Standards, at any time.
What is the real cost of Union Dues? Union workers presently enjoy a $153 weekly wage advantage over their unorganized counterparts. 1
Union workers also enjoy a $3.65 per hour fringe benefit package advantage over unorganized workers.2 Considering this figure on wages alone, the cost of "nonunion dues" to the average unorganized
employee amounts to $612.00 per month! Union Membership doesn't cost --- It Pays! |
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