UNION? A Good Idea As Long As It Costs Me Nothing!

You hear these types talking all the time about how they are "proud" to be Union, and that they support the "Union Movement," but in the same breath they will say they don't understand why their union dues are so high, or why does the Union have full time positions when all the Union work could be done in a couple of hours a week - after all it's just attending a couple of discipline hearings a few times a year, and one or two meetings every three years to negotiate a new contract!

If that is the way you think then you do not understand what Unions do and the amount of time it takes to do all the things a Union has to do in order to properly represent its' members.

At a very basic level a union is workers joining together to pursue policies and goals beneficial to one and all. Nothing more, nothing less. In other words, a union is you and your fellow workers, acting in concert to better your everyday working conditions. A union is what gives the individual worker a voice in decisions and events that directly affect him or her in an undertaking that constitutes a major portion of life, that is, work.

The idea is that the union allows workers a say in changing workplace conditions and solving workplace problems. With a union contract and grievance procedure to back them up, workers don’t have to suffer in silence or feel that their only option to unacceptable conditions is to quit their jobs. As a worker, you have a right under the Canada Labour Code to form a union, select representatives of your choice and bargain collectively with your employer.

This helps balance the power that employers have over individual employees. Belonging to a union gives you rights under law that you do not have as an individual. Once you have formed a union, your employer must bargain with you over your wages, hours and working conditions.

The union leadership is elected in a strict democratic process. The officers are nominated and elected from among each individual local’s membership. Elections are held for officers in most local unions every three years. It is important to note that as described above, every local union officer is a member. Every officer has worked under a collective bargaining agreement like every other member. All local union elected officials were selected to run the day to day business of the union because of their skills, commitment and ability to serve the membership.

Just as with any fraternal or social organization, it does cost you to belong to a union. When you join a local YMCA or YWCA or health spa, you generally pay an initiation fee and a membership fee. The same holds true when you join the Elks Club, or the Legion, or the Community Association, or the bowling league.

Cost, obviously, is relative. It’s relative to the services provided, to what you get for your money. How often have you made the statement, “I don’t mind paying the cost as long as I get my money’s worth?” 

Cost is a valid concern, because we all work hard for our money and we want to be sure it is spent wisely and for some particular benefit to us. That is why you should look at the cost of belonging to a union — your initiation fee (if applicable) and your monthly dues — as an investment. A very wise and very sound investment when you consider what you get for your money.

Whether it’s bargaining a contract, handling a grievance or arbitration, negotiating a pension plan, providing advanced training, administering a health and welfare program to provide medical services, prescription drugs and dental services, your dues money is being invested in your well-being today, for your progress and stability tomorrow. And every cent of your money is strictly accounted for by your Local Union president working with the Local Union financial secretary, and the Local union Board of Auditors.

Every organization needs funds to operate, and unions are no exception. Before talking about the law relating to union dues, it is important to know what union dues buy. By law, a union must fairly represent everyone in the bargaining unit. The most common actions that involve union representation are negotiating, enforcing and administering collective bargaining agreements.

CBAs set basic rights for all covered workers, such as wages, sick pay, vacations, benefits, freedom from discrimination and safe working conditions. CBA terms include employee rights to file grievances over working conditions and unfair treatment, including discipline and discharge without good cause. If grievances are not settled, employees can appeal to higher levels and even take their grievances to arbitration before a neutral arbitrator paid for by the union. The grievance process and arbitration decisions become part of the "law of the shop."

This sort of representation costs money. Benefits can include complex legal rights, such as pension and benefit plans. Representation when negotiating a contract or bringing a grievance can be expensive, often requiring lawyers, accountants or actuaries to assist the union. Union dues are the only source of funds available to unions to pay these costs of representation.

The analogy to taxes is obvious. We are required to pay taxes because we all benefit from the public goods our taxes buy - bridges, fire and police protection, and courts, for example. While we may object to some of the ways our taxes are used, if anyone could opt out of paying for these public goods, eventually, none of us would have these benefits.

Attempts to restrict a unions' ability to collect dues, reduce the resources of unions and limits their ability to fight against

the power of corporations. The more union dues shrink, the less unions are able to protect and advocate for the workers they represent - a responsibility that grows increasingly crucial as corporate influence looms ever larger. Though no one loves paying taxes - or dues - both are vital to the survival of our democracy and the survival of unions.

http://www.dc37.net/news/PEP/10_2002/uniondues.htm