This is a basic explanation of how your dues are determined. The
formula for determining our dues rate is in the AFSCME Local 3800
Constitution (the portion taken by the AFSCME Council and AFSCME
International is determined by their respective constitutions).
The dues you pay from each check should be around a dollar or two more
than your hourly wage (if you are a member and you earn lower than the
average wage, your dues will be slightly lower, and if you earn higher than the average wage, your dues will be
slightly higher).
If you have questions about this formula and how it applies to you,
please contact the Local 3800 treasurer.
The following explains how your union dues are divided up and what they are used for.
The Minnesota State Employees Union, AFSCME Council 5, AFL-CIO, is the
executive bargaining representative for all employees in your
bargaining unit. Employees within bargaining units represented by
AFSCME Council 5 are encouraged to become full dues paying members of
the local union representing your particular group of employees. Your
union dues work for you, your local union, AFSCME Council 5, and AFSCME
International in a host of areas of interest and concern to you and
your co-workers.
Your dues also support the costs of representing you and protecting
your interests in legislative bodies, from the local to the national
level. That is important protection because the rules and regulations
which govern your job are written by those legislative bodies.
There is demonstrated relationship between the numbers of dues paying
members and the benefits won by state and university employees. Dues
paying membership in AFSCME Council 5 establishes power to state and
university employees in protecting their rights and their future.
However, only full dues paying members of the union can participate in
the democratic processes which determine the union's goals, select its
officers, negotiators and grievance representatives, and accept or
reject the negotiated collective bargaining agreement.
Membership guarantees you a VOICE and a VOTE on issues affecting you.
Dues are established by the members
of each individual local union. AFSCME Council 5 is currently composed
of 71 individual local union affiliates, representing six bargaining
units. The membership of each local union determines what their dues
will be.
While there are minimum dues levels
required to support your local union, your Council, and your
International Union, the amount varies from local to local. Some locals
set a flat rate for all members; some base dues for each member on a
percentage of the members' hourly wage; some locals use a mix of these
two approaches. What is important is that the membership of each local
determines which is the best for them to meet their needs.
The portion of your dues which is paid to affiliates is referred to as "Per Capita Tax".
1. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO (AFSCME International).
The minimum per capita tax to AFSCME International is $6.30 per member,
per month (effective 1/1/98). This per capita supports the
organizational, administrative, legislative, public affairs,
educational, and other related programs of this over 1.3 million member
union, as well as the State and National AFL-CIO. Examples of the
International's services your local benefits from include: organizing
grants; steward and leadership training programs; media and
publications; state and national lobbying.
2. AFSCME Council 5. The
minimum per capita paid to AFSCME Council 5 is $14.49 per member, per
month (effective 7/1/97). This per capita supports the staffing of
local unions, Council office expenses, legal and professional costs,
Council publications, and membership programs and services. Examples of
Council 5 services include: day-to-day support and training of local
union leaders and members; organizing activities; daily assistance on
grievance issues; arbitration procession; negotiation of collective
bargaining agreements; and lobbying.
3. The Local. The minimum
amount that each local union must retain in their treasury after the
payment of the AFSCME International per capita and the Council per
capita is $1.95* per member, per month. This amount is to be used by
the local to underwrite the activities of the local union operation as
determined by the membership.
*The International and Council per capita is
automatically adjusted each year in January and July (respectively),
based on averaged hourly wage rates. Most all local unions'
contributions provide for annual adjustment of dues as well.