Authorization Card & Dues
THE FACTS ABOUT THE UNION CARD & DUES
The IAM Union is a self-sustaining, not-for-profit organization that exists for the betterment of its members. Your dues pay for expenses incurred in contract negotiations, servicing members, legal fees, organizing new members and communications… just to name a few in a very long list.
It is wrong to assume that you merely pay dues as a return investment for financial gain. Union members pay dues for the same reason civic, faith-based, cultural, business, and professional association members pay dues: It costs money to run an organization, and particularly in our case, it also costs money to defend the best interests of the membership.
My company says dues can cost up to 6% of my salary, is that true? No. Local Dues at most lodges are approximately less than 1.2% of your total yearly earnings. Example: Yearly wages $56,000.00 = $650 dues divided over 12 months. Calculations are typically 2 times your hourly rate per month.
If we vote to go Union, my employer says that am I forced to pay dues, is this true?
Under Federal law employees may choose not to become Union members and pay dues, or opt to pay only that share of dues used directly for representation. Known as objectors, they are no longer Union members, but are still protected by the Union contract. It’s unlawful to force employees to join a Union.
What would my dues dollars be used for and how? Union members pool their dues money to obtain a level of workplace representation, service, and protection very few individuals could possibly afford alone. IAM dues are established through Local or District Lodge bylaws and add up to just a fraction of your monthly take-home pay. Dues secure all the benefits, rights, services and privileges that are negotiated through collectively bargained contracts like: union-scale wages, health insurance, pensions and all the rest. Dues pay for all legal representation matters as well as cost associated with servicing its membership. Members of their local Union establish and vote on the amounts of their monthly dues.
The amount of dues collected from employees represented by unions is subject to federal and state laws and court rulings. The NLRA allows unions and employers to enter into union-security agreements which require the payment of dues or dues equivalents as a condition of employment.
Federal law allows unions and employers to enter into "union-security" agreements which require all employees in a bargaining unit to become union members and begin paying union dues and fees within 30 days of being hired.
Employees may choose not to become union members and pay dues, or opt to pay only that share of dues used directly for representation, such as collective bargaining and contract administration. Known as objectors, they are no longer union members, but are still protected by the contract. Unions are obligated to tell all covered employees about this option, which was created by a Supreme Court ruling and is known as the Beck right.
If you work in a state that bans union-security agreements, (25 states), each employee at a workplace must decide whether or not to join the union and pay dues, even though all workers are protected by the collective bargaining agreement negotiated by the union. The union is still required to represent all workers.
You may object to union membership on religious grounds, but in that case, you must pay an amount equal to dues to a nonreligious charitable organization.