What do I pay in dues?
According to the Constitution of Local 2620, Article XII, Section 3, "The monthly membership dues of Local 2620 shall be .008 of each member's base gross salary. The executive board shall review the dues structure yearly, and any change in the dues structure shall be voted on by the general membership as an amendment to the constitution. Minimum dues increases or changes to dues system structure, mandated by the International Constitution are not subject to this provision."
Where do my dues go?
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 57
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.
What do I really get for my dues?
The Health & Social Services Professional Employees, Local 2620, is the executive bargaining representative for all employees in Bargaining Unit 19. Employees within bargaining units represented by Local 2620 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 57, 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 employees. Dues paying membership establishes power to state 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.
How much do officers and the Executive Board members make?
The Executive Board members are NOT financially compensated for their Union work. Often times, Executive Board members are required to attend meeting outside of typical duty hours Monday through Friday as well as Saturdays and Sundays. When duties require that the Executive Board members attend meetings or events during their normal work time, the union will either request Union Leave on behalf of the Executive Board member from their respective employer or may offer the Executive Board member Loss Time for Annual Leave time that was used in lieu of Union Leave.
As Executive Board members are required to travel and may spend several nights away from their respective homes, travel, lodging and a per diem for food expenses is afforded. Travel mileage is based on federally allowable rates while lodging is based on locality. Per Diem is an established daily allowance based on the State of California allowable per diem rates.
Aside from these reimbursements, no money is guaranteed, allowed or expected for Union activities. In other words, the Executive Board is NOT paid for their contribution to the Local.
The only slight exception is that the President of the Local, as allowed by our contract with the State of California, is allowed to be on full-time Union Leave. However, the same reimbursement procedure applies to the President and s/he must address the same paperwork as the rest of the Executive Board to receive a reimbursement. Why does Local 2620 focus on politics?
What is the GAC?
The Governmental Affairs Committee works to promote the political interests of a majority of the members of Local 2620 at all levels of government and mobilize members to legislative and political action. This includes work on needed legislation, legislative monitoring, lobbying (including "calls for action"), issues campaigns, issues research, member awareness and political training programs. GAC also provides direction and over-site of the PAC fund.
What is the PAC?
The Political Action Committee (PAC) is a branch of the GAC that pools campaign contributions from members and donates those funds to campaign for or against candidates, ballot initiatives or legislation.
AFL-CIO to Help Fund Overnite Strike
Labor: Teamsters will get $500,000 to aid in organizing drivers at trucking company.
February 09, 2000|NANCY CLEELAND |TIMES STAFF WRITER
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In a move that could escalate an acrimonious labor dispute involving thousands of truckers nationwide, the AFL-CIO will hand over $500,000 to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters to fund its campaign at Overnite Transportation Co.
The Teamsters have worked for four years to organize drivers at the Richmond, Va.-based company, a subsidiary of Union Pacific Corp. and the nation's sixth-largest "less-than-truckload" shipper.
Teamsters locals are on strike at dozens of Overnite terminals, although many drivers routinely cross the picket lines, causing some to refer to the Overnite strategy as "a strike without strikers." There have been incidents of violence, including the shooting of an Overnite driver in Memphis, Tenn., but Teamsters officials say the strike has been peaceful and the shooting not clearly linked to the strike.
The union has won representation at 37 of Overnite's 166 terminals. Some election results have been challenged by the company at the National Labor Relations Board. The Los Angeles terminal is not represented by the union, but other Teamsters members staff a 24-hour picket line at the facility.
Both sides have filed hundreds of charges of unfair practices with the NLRB, most of which have been dismissed. In November, however, the board ordered Overnite to recognize the union at four terminals, citing "numerous . . . serious and unfair labor practices at each terminal."
The company is appealing the ruling.
Teamsters spokesman David Cameron said Overnite has spent millions of dollars to fight the union, far more than it would cost to settle a contract. "There's a union animus here that defies logic," he said.
But Ira Rosenfeld, communications director for Overnite, said negotiations have stalled over control of pension funds. "The Teamsters want to put the company's contributions in its central states plan, but we're leery of putting our employee's money there," he said.
In announcing the $500,000 contribution Tuesday, AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney said, "The entire union movement is committed to escalating our support and standing with Overnite employees for as long as it takes."
Teamsters President James Hoffa said the money will fund 30 additional organizers, radio and television ads, a legal team and lobbying efforts.
About 600 striking drivers are receiving $100 a week in Teamsters benefits, most of which is coming from their locals and area labor councils.
4.76.14.2 (03-18-2002)
Background Information
IRC § 501(c)(5) provides for the exemption of organizations:
Whose purpose is the betterment of the conditions of those engaged in the pursuits of labor, agriculture or horticulture, the improvement of the grade of their products and the development of a higher degree of efficiency in their respective occupations;
Having no net earnings inuring to the benefit of any member; and
Whose principal activity, with certain exceptions, is not to receive, hold, invest or disburse or otherwise manage funds associated with savings or investment plans or programs, including pension or other retirement savings plans or programs.
Organizations exempt under IRC § 501(c)(5) fall into two general categories:
Labor organizations
Agricultural organizations and horticultural organizations
Although labor and agricultural and horticultural organizations may each qualify for exemption under IRC § 501(c)(5), the requirements for recognition of tax exemption and issues commonly found in each of these types of organizations differ. This IRM contains separate guidelines for examination of each.
4.76.14.3 (03-18-2002)
Labor Organizations
Labor organizations are an association of workers who have combined for to protect or promote the interest of all members by bargaining collectively with their employers to secure better working conditions, wages and similar benefits. The term includes labor unions, councils and committees.
4.76.14.3.1 (03-18-2002)
Membership Requirements
A labor organization is a membership organization primarily made up of employees or representatives of employees.
If most of the members are entrepreneurs or independent contractors, the organization does not qualify for exemption.
4.76.14.3.1.1 (08-30-2010)
Examination Guidelines - Membership Requirements
Ask the following questions and any follow-up questions during the initial contact or initial interview:
What are the membership requirements?
Does the organization have different classes of memberships?
If so, what are the membership requirements for each class of members?
Are the business owners allowed to be members of or receive benefits from the organization?
Do the employer(s) withhold and pay member dues from members' salaries to the labor organization?
Review the articles of organization to determine the written membership requirements.
Review membership solicitation materials to determine requirements, benefits, and different classes of memberships.
Review the dues accounts in the cash receipts journal and supporting documents. If the employer(s) withholds and pays dues to the labor organization from member's salaries, check any separate payments to detect payments from entrepreneurs or independent contractors.
Check dues solicitations issued by the labor organization. Verify they contain a statement of nondeductibility of contributions required by IRC § 6113 .where certain non IRC 501(c)(3) organizations must disclose in fund-raising solicitations that contributions are nondeductible. .
Congress has it's work planned to stop use of Pension in Strike Fund to assist but use of the Reinvestment of Capital Gains and then formula a Vested of Both Pension and Dues do to The 27th Amendment of The Bill of Rights of The United States Constitution becomes new codes for Internal Revenue Service as such Amendment does away with Lobby and left up to Collective Barging
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