Understanding Union Dues
We’ve collected your questions about union dues here. Want to know more?
How much will I pay?
Once our union is recognized, we faculty will determine how much we will collect in dues and whether we will use a flat rate or a percentage of salary. (We Chatham faculty get to decide.) At minimum, we will need to cover $20.18 for the national AFT and $11.70 for AFT-PA per member, per month ($31.88 total in AFT dues), plus an additional amount to manage our own local needs (the AFT recommends at least $15.94). Local needs include paying for legal representation during contract negotiation and any CFU meetings or events. There is some flexibility in how we manage dues, but we expect to be able to keep it to 1.5% of salary or less if we choose to use a percentage of salary. If we go with a flat rate, here’s what that could look like:
| AFT national dues | $20.18 |
| AFT-PA dues | $11.70 |
| CFU local dues | $15.94 |
| In this scenario, total dues could = | $47.82 |
Again, we Chatham faculty will determine what our needs are and how we will manage dues. Note that we will pay no dues until we have a signed contract – and as part of the contract process, our bargaining committee (consisting of faculty colleagues whom we elect) could consider negotiating for raises, benefits, and retirement. Faculty would then vote on that contract. While there are no guarantees, typically a bargaining committee will negotiate to at least cover the cost of union dues in faculty salaries. Union members generally earn more than their non-union employees (last year the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that union members earned 14% more).
What are my dues used for?
Our union dues will be used by the AFT to provide resources for us as faculty, including assistance in negotiating contracts, representation in grievance processes, and access to legal support if AFT determines that it is necessary to refer us to outside lawyers. Our dues also pay for services such as research and analyses of university budgets and enrollment trends, to give us a better understanding of our institution. And a large portion of the dues will come back to our local (us!) to help with any expenses, such as supporting our meetings and legal representation during contract negotiation. Unlike a private entity, the Union is not about making money – it’s about building power for working people.
Will my union dues support political candidates?
No. The AFT does not spend dues on political candidates.
“There are many benefits to joining together in a union.”
What are the benefits I will receive from my dues?
The AFT offers a number of opportunities and resources to members. Chatham faculty will be joining the largest union of educational professionals in the country, with 1.7 million members. Here is how the AFT describes the benefits of membership:
- Working together, we improve the quality of the services we provide to those we serve, making our institutions better and stronger.
- By standing with our 1.7 million members, we make our voices heard on the national, state and local levels.
- By building a union, we improve our working conditions, our benefits and our ongoing professional education.
- We don’t simply work in a community, we work with our community to better our neighborhoods and achieve social justice for all.
- As an AFT member and through involvement in your local union, you have an advantage. You have the power to bargain; the power to negotiate; and the power to change things, win improvements, and accomplish the goals that matter to you and to the people you serve.
Chatham Faculty United 