Personal Finance

paying union dues for no reason?

  • Last Updated:
  • Nov 12th, 2022 9:15 pm
Newbie
Oct 2, 2010
12 posts
9 upvotes
ElBorak wrote: Totally fxxked up. Time for right to work laws, like they have in some US states. Let unions persuade workers on the benefits of paying union dues rather take it at gunpoint.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-to-work_law

As for the EI contributions: there was a debate in another thread about this as to whether it was a tax or not - well, this shows that it is certainly a tax for your daughter.
I worked for no frills as a teen. My wife’s union was courted by a larger union that had lower dues. Union dues are in the 1.3-1.6% range.

Can you post the t4?
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May 11, 2014
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nunofernandes wrote: I worked for no frills as a teen. My wife’s union was courted by a larger union that had lower dues. Union dues are in the 1.3-1.6% range.

Can you post the t4?
It depends on the union. Some have flat rates while others charge a percentage.

It looks like the place she worked at is flat per week. Unfortunately that sucks for employees that work really part time as a result. Sometimes there are clauses that say they are not supposed to pay it if they work less than a certain amount, but usually not.
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Oct 2, 2010
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It looks like the place she worked at is flat per week. Unfortunately that sucks for employees that work really part time as a result. Sometimes there are clauses that say they are not supposed to pay it if they work less than a certain amount, but usually not.
[/quote]

I just looked at a UFCW union structure. One section, UFCW 124, was 9.19/week if you work less than 32 hours a week. For your first year their is a 50.00 activation fee.

That is a little evil-I pay 1.3% for all the benefits. 10% for that guys daughter is robbery for a teen.
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Aug 14, 2019
3494 posts
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Before I retired, many of us [tried] to get the union head office to provide a breakdown and the methodology for union dues. We were stonewalled and never received an answer.

I agree, there needs to be government legislation regarding union dues transparency especially since many employees who earn a significantly higher wage can often pay much less in union dues than those on the bottom of the "totem pole".
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May 11, 2014
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nunofernandes wrote:
I just looked at a UFCW union structure. One section, UFCW 124, was 9.19/week if you work less than 32 hours a week. For your first year their is a 50.00 activation fee.

That is a little evil-I pay 1.3% for all the benefits. 10% for that guys daughter is robbery for a teen.
Unions generally only care for the employees that are there as a career so they dont care for the part timer because it helps them out.
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Jan 31, 2007
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Doesn't it sound like:

- Why i pay tax if i only live here 8 months a year?
- why i pay full condo management fees at downtown if i only stay Monday to Thursday. I dont use the swimming pool, i dont use the parking, i dont use the gym.
- why i need to pay school levy when i dont have kids go to school?
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Aug 20, 2021
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cheapshopper wrote: Doesn't it sound like:

- Why i pay tax if i only live here 8 months a year?
- why i pay full condo management fees at downtown if i only stay Monday to Thursday. I dont use the swimming pool, i dont use the parking, i dont use the gym.
- why i need to pay school levy when i dont have kids go to school?
Do you think it is reasonable for a part time worker, in the example above making 4K a year to pay >10% of this amount in union dues? Is this comparable to the situations you describe above?
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May 16, 2017
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ElBorak wrote: Totally fxxked up. Time for right to work laws, like they have in some US states. Let unions persuade workers on the benefits of paying union dues rather take it at gunpoint.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-to-work_law

As for the EI contributions: there was a debate in another thread about this as to whether it was a tax or not - well, this shows that it is certainly a tax for your daughter.
Right to work laws generally are reflected in those same jurisdictions with the lowest minimum wages, weakest worker health and safety protections, and poorest benefits. Be careful what you wish for.

Workers are free to organize to dissolve their union representation if they so choose.

Just so you know, I am in no way pro-union, have been in two in my long work career and acknowledge they are generally run by politician wannabees that are more manipulative than our actual elected members of council/legislature/parliament.
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Nov 13, 2010
7814 posts
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Scarborough
Not to mention, the collective agreement gets thrown in your face if you dare ask for anything out of the ordinary (like special leave, extra unpaid vacation time, etc……..)
Most of the time I’ve seen members told to just discuss it all with the boss/manager etc themselves and the unions wash their hands off….many don’t bother calling back for members questions etc…specially not on weekends, although a supervisor or manager can be contacted but oh no don’t u dare to call the union on weekends cuz u know theyre entitled to weekends off.

Most the unions just defend the lazy slackers and don’t let em lose the jobs. Otherwise not much benefit……so mostly its just job security and some rules that get followed. These days due to labor laws and etc its a moot point
Employer still has most of the power, sometimes just talking to manager/supervisor is better result than getting the union involved as they make it worse as many times they r just proven incompetent and stupid.
Too many grey areas where employer always wins when it matters, unions keep trying to sign same agreements without much improvements other than pay

As a parttime cashier at grocery store my wife has union dues deducted yet there is nothing ever given or even contacted ever by the so-called union……seems they just want the money for nothing……pisses me off. Greedy unions.
Time to get rid of these pests that only protect frauds and lazy workers.
Sr. Member
Jun 2, 2011
575 posts
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Toronto
ElBorak wrote: Do you think it is reasonable for a part time worker, in the example above making 4K a year to pay >10% of this amount in union dues? Is this comparable to the situations you describe above?
Yes its reasonable. They are using a flat rate system. Everyone there voted a majority for this system. She is getting the benefits of break time,pay structure and working condition. I'd say its more reasonable for someone to look their pay stub and say hmm this flat rate union due is taking 10% of my pay. I need to up my hours or find a new place to work. Also most union due is tax deductible.
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Nhuynh555 wrote: Yes its reasonable. They are using a flat rate system. Everyone there voted a majority for this system. She is getting the benefits of break time,pay structure and working condition. I'd say its more reasonable for someone to look their pay stub and say hmm this flat rate union due is taking 10% of my pay. I need to up my hours or find a new place to work.
Well, I think it stinks because the part time workers are not getting the same amount of benefits as the full time workers. You can argue that a majority of workers voted for this system, but our society also elect governments who should pass laws to prevent this kind of abuse. Or better yet, right to work laws so part time workers aren't forced to quit their jobs just to avoid this kind of crap.
Nhuynh555 wrote: Also most union due is tax deductible.
Irrelevant.
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Jan 31, 2007
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ElBorak wrote: Well, I think it stinks because the part time workers are not getting the same amount of benefits as the full time workers. You can argue that a majority of workers voted for this system, but our society also elect governments who should pass laws to prevent this kind of abuse. Or better yet, right to work laws so part time workers aren't forced to quit their jobs just to avoid this kind of crap.

Irrelevant.
So while you at it, you thing people have no kids should not pay school levy? They are the one can't benefit from it.
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Mar 25, 2012
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Not all unions are created equal in terms of their effectiveness to negotiate higher wages, improved working conditions, and better schedules and benefits for employees. I'd be interested in a comparative analysis among the top 10 or 25 unions in Canada in terms of unions' effectiveness in these areas. I suspect UFCW would not score well.

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Aug 20, 2021
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cheapshopper wrote: So while you at it, you thing people have no kids should not pay school levy? They are the one can't benefit from it.
I don't think this is a comparable situation. Society as a whole benefits from having an educated population, and even if a person does not have children themselves, they likely were educated in a publicly funded education system when they were children.
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Jun 2, 2011
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ElBorak wrote: Well, I think it stinks because the part time workers are not getting the same amount of benefits as the full time workers. You can argue that a majority of workers voted for this system, but our society also elect governments who should pass laws to prevent this kind of abuse. Or better yet, right to work laws so part time workers aren't forced to quit their jobs just to avoid this kind of crap.



Irrelevant.
Your saying goverment should do somthing and also saying goverment making unions due tax deductible is irrelevant. Who goes join a company where the workers their voted the system they have then complain, man this place sucks goverment should step in. Loblaws would love to ban unions. Probly wants the goverment to come feed you dinner too.
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Nhuynh555 wrote: Your saying goverment should do somthing and also saying goverment making unions due tax deductible is irrelevant. Who goes join a company where the workers their voted the system they have then complain, man this place sucks goverment should step in. Loblaws would love to ban unions. Probly wants the goverment to come feed you dinner too.
The government is already "doing something" i.e. Rand Formula - I would like them to stop doing it.

I do not think unions should be banned, but rather that individual workers should have the right not to join unions and not pay dues to them.
Last edited by ElBorak on Nov 13th, 2022 5:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Sep 21, 2007
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LOL.. I've been paying union dues for the last 10 years.. they haven't done anything for me.. if anything they have made my work HARDER because it protects crappy workers..
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Jun 2, 2011
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faken wrote: LOL.. I've been paying union dues for the last 10 years.. they haven't done anything for me.. if anything they have made my work HARDER because it protects crappy workers..
I paid union for a few years. It places to much weight on senority and the people at the top gets lazy. Never needed them to protect me from hr if I did somthing stupid. Felt like a waste of money to me. However I do recognize the union probly had somthing to do with the pay and benefits that made me take the job in the first place. So why anyone would want to work at a job where the majority of people working there voted to be like that and think its not fair is beyond me.
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Nhuynh555 wrote: I paid union for a few years. It places to much weight on senority and the people at the top gets lazy. Never needed them to protect me from hr if I did somthing stupid. Felt like a waste of money to me. However I do recognize the union probly had somthing to do with the pay and benefits that made me take the job in the first place. So why anyone would want to work at a job where the majority of people working there voted to be like that and think its not fair is beyond me.
well.. considering they are supposed to work for us and get us better collective agreements... and they suck at negotiating.. not sure I'm up overall with the money I've paid them..
"An essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid to fail." -- Edward Land

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