Union fees (employment, unemployed, paycheck, job)

[kevin15776]

I have a pretty ****ty job in security (I know I'm lucky to have a job) and we have a union that does nothing except demand fees. They never sent anyone to talk to us during training and have made no attempts to reach out to us other than sending a letter saying we have to either join and pay member dues or pay the non-member fees. Over 2.5 years I had not sent them a penny until my supervisors finally came to me and told me I had to start paying. I wrote the union a check for back dues and now they've sent me a letter saying I have to fill out a card authorizing them to take money out of my paycheck. It says failure to send the card to them will result in my "removal from the worksite". I really don't want to give them access to my paychecks. Can this be stopped? I work in DC, which is not a right to work state, unfortunately.

[thebunny]

There is no way to stop it, as if you are not in a right to work state you can be forced to join a union and pay the fees. If you are not part of the union, you can be terminated from employment.

[Hemlock140]

Not that it's much consolation, but union dues are tax deductible.

[kevin15776]

Well i know i have to pay the dues--sort of--but my question is do I have to authorize them to deduct from my paycheck? ?

[thebunny]

Yes. The union has it set that it is automatically deducted from your check. You will not get anywhere, other than unemployed, fighting it.

[caradvice]

worked in a union job a couple decades ago. no you either with them or against them and if its the latter youre out the door. good luck.

[EVAunit1981]

kevin15776: Look on the bright side: you get higher wages because you're union.

Right?

[War Beagle]

A) In the short-medium term, pay the non-member dues on principle rather than join the union.

B) In the long term, move to a free state.