Where Does My Dues Go?
Ever wonder where your member dues goes once it is deducted from your paycheck? Many people believe that all monies go directly to your Local. The truth is, your Local only receives a small percentage of your dues money. The rest is distributed to various upper levels of AFSCME.
Per the "Structure of AFSCME" section of the AFSCME Officers Handbook:
Where does a union member’s dues money go?
To the local, to the council and to the International Union. Locals retain a portion of the dues to cover operating needs as determined by the executive board and the membership, for example, newsletters, postage, posters for rallies and other costs related to representing members and enabling their participation. Councils and affiliates receive the largest portion of the dues to provide staff assistance to locals and members in areas such as contract negotiations, arbitration, lobbying at the state and local levels, research and organizing. The International Union also receives a portion of the dues in order to coordinate actions and to provide training, lobbying, research, communications and other resources for the councils, local unions, and their members (and potential members) on a national level.
Below is the specific breakdown of how Local 2360 members' dues are distributed:
51% - District Council 86
34% - AFSCME International Union
14% - Local 2360
0.5% - Council 13 Convention Account
0.5% - Northeastern PA Area Labor Federation
To learn more about the various levels of AFSCME, go to http://www.afscme.org/publications/11789.cfm.
