Question for Union Members

[HFishbine]

What is a "payroll check off for union dues?" Does it mean that union dues are deducted from an employees check? If so, is it voluntary?

[Gman2]

1. unions in calif and right to work states.

The right wing has fought to make union dues voluntary in many states and thus to weaken them. Many will choose to get the benefits of the union without paying for it. While I think unions are a necessary evil, they have never been more necessary.

[Postman]

7. Please explain how Unions are a "neccessary evil" ?

I see them as one of the few democratizing forces in favor of people. Without them, otherwise powerless people are at the mercy of corporate abuse.

Read about the history of labor in this country.

[Another Bill C.]

8. Unions an evil?

I don't understand why unions are a necessary "evil." Unions (and the fear of them) are the mechanism that, for a while, got a living wage, decent hours, and benefits for American workers.

If anyone believes that employers began voluntarily paying living wages, supporting pension plans, providing vacation time and sick leave, providing health insurance, paying overtime, etc., I'll bet they stay up for Easter Bunny, too.

With the decline of union power, we've lost a lot of those benefits. Now overtime pay is on the blocks. Our middle class is shrinking and we're on our way to a "lords and serfs" economy.

[Bluzmann57]

2. It is voluntary here and other

"right to work(for less) states. In Illinois and a few other states, if a place is a Union shop, it is mandatory that a person join the Union after the probationary period is up. Unions help to build a better America by giving workers a voice. It is not socialism as some would have us believe. This country was made great by the blood, sweat and tears of the working men and women. Ok Ok, I'll get off my soapbox now.

[Gman]

3. Yes, dues check off means you can "check off" the box

that says deduct the dues from your check. You do not have to pay dues through payroll deduction. You can pay "cash dues" on a monthly, yearly, etc. basis. The preferred method is by payroll deduction. Most, if not all, unions allow for cash dues but the practice is discouraged.

Why check off is important is because collecting cash dues from everyone every month is very tough. You start getting the "I'll pay you next week" stuff or "I don't have it right now", etc. This leads to a lot of disunity and discord within the members. Payroll deduction gives you a feeling of "if you don't see it, you don't miss it".

Stopping dues deduction is a fundamental part of union busting.

If your question is in regards to if someone must pay some sort of union dues by deduction or cash dues, then the answer is that it depends on if your state is a "right to work" state. In a non-right to work state you must pay at leat the cost of basic union representation as a form of dues. This is not the same as paying full dues. It's something less.

And, FYI, "right to work" is a right wing euphenism for not being required to pay union dues. It's often referred to as "right to work for less".

[jiacinto]

11. Well

I thought it was referred to as "right to fire".

[HereSince1628]

4. Even if optional there may be obligatory costs.

In Mn, were I was represented by the state colleges and universities union, "dues" were optional, however the "fair share" contribution to bargaining was obligatory.

The fair share was almost equal to the union dues.

[HFishbine]

5. Thanks!

Thanks for the clarifications. I really appreciate the prompt and thorough answers. The question came up on a survey of city council candidates for a campaign I'm helping with.

[Gman]

6. Your candidate MUST state he's in favor of dues check off for

municipal employees to stay in the running to get endorsed. Dues check off is a very fundamental labor issue.

[HFishbine]

9. Not a given

We're in NC. In case that doesn't say enough, what that means is that union endorsements don't cary a lot of weight here. Workers here seem to enjoy getting shafted: "It's good for Bidness." Our local economy was built on luring textile and manufacturing jobs from the NE with promise of cheaper labor -- and it worked for a while, but now it's all going to shit (which is to say China).

I think my guy is going to favor it. I'm certainly going to make the case that he should.

[Postman]

10. How about this question.......Why doesn't the Federal gov't allow you...

to check-off a box on your IRS form to allow you to pay your income-tax at the end of the year??

Would they ever allow that? Why not? Isn't there a correlation between allowing that and the Union Dues check-off?