Due to the financial health of your Union, Union dues were reduced at the beginning of 2008! They are now down from the previous 2.55% of your salary to **2.45%** of your salary (for all Units and all job titles).

Because you pay dues, you have access to all Union services at no additional cost.

Union dues are also tax-deductible when you file your income taxes. Remember to enter your union dues (Box 44 on your T4) on line 212 of your income tax return.

All those who are currently employed in any of the bargaining units pay dues, whether or not they have signed a Union card. Signing a card gives you full access to all Union benefits (like the Financial Assistance Fund) and the right to attend Union meetings and vote on how the Union uses your dues money and makes other decisions (this makes you a member of the Local in addition to being a member of a bargaining unit).

Our dues are set by the membership to meet the needs as determined by the membership. As a result Union dues have gone up and down over the years as determined by the membership.

The majority of your dues stay in the Local to provide services directly to the membership: members have access to all Union services at no additional cost. This requires paying staff salaries and honoraria for Executive Officers. Dues are also spent on member communications, conferences, legal, accounting and insurance fees, and membership mobilization and campaigns. The Local sets aside 4% of dues to the Local Strike and Defence Fund, and 35% of its dues to the National Union to provide support and services as well as access to the National Strike and Defence Fund.