FXDX

Respectfully Popeye and Golf, you are missing my point, or perhaps I am unable to adequately make it.

Its not the money for me. It is a personal freedom and belief issue with me. Trust me, if the time comes when I can no longer accept the union's values and direction, I WILL quit.

But I will pay the maintenance fee if I do. Easy to say I know because its now contractual, but that is what it is.

So to repeat, I don't begrudge the union its dues. I simply believe that joining the union should be a voluntary, personal decision made by each individual employee, just like it was when I was hired and made my own choice.

In an ideal world, the union would be so beneficial to the membership that we would never even be discussing the fact that there even were non members.

RedeyeAV8r

Liberal Diehard? You have no idea what or who you are talking about.

I think you should be able to quit the Union and pay nothing if thats your choice.

I also feel that the Union (your bargaining agent) should be able to with hold or deny Benefits to People who do not pay?

Legal Representation?

7% B Fund,

the 3% Raise you get starting in a few days?

Unfortunately because of the DOFR laws, they cannot.

FXDX

Redeye: My apologies. It appeared to me that you were defending Agency Shop and I thought I had detected a generally liberal philosophy from your previous posts.

I apologize for making an assumption about your political leanings.

Post above edited.

Popeye

FXDX, I think you are doing the right thing. I agree with your sentiments.

If you consider the 2% as a maintenance fee, then that's what it is to the otherwise non-members. For those times they need and get representation the rest of us can feel some sense that they made a contribution. It's their "skin-in-the-game" for the B fund and other such negotiated benefits that they would not ever see as independent contractors.

If you see the 2% as your union dues, then you should volunteer when you can. You should also get mad as H3LL when you are not being properly represented. This is what it means to be a part of a union. It's not the MEC, it's US!

If these recall efforts are warranted, then we are doing the right thing. But like him or not, TC is calling us out. Vote him out or vote him in, but by all and every means VOTE! If he stays or goes because of a 6-5 vote, then a pox on all of us.

MaydayMark

In as much as it's tax season ...

We all know that we can deduct union dues from our taxes ... are "maintenance fees" tax deductible?

And for the NON-MEMBERS that say it's not about the money ... then I say, "How about if you make a (tax deductible) donation to the charity of YOUR CHOICE in the amount you might have paid in union dues!*?"

ol'tigerguy

It's about the money, It's always about the money.

golfandfly

I never said the union was the greatest thing since sliced bread, but I do like having agency shop.

Once again, YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO BE A MEMBER. You are required to pay if you choose to work here. I could care less if someone wants to be in the union or not, but I don't like those that benefit from the union and don't pay.

I agree that things are as screwed up as I can remember. I wouldn't be opposed to recalling everyone of these guys and starting over. I have no alligience to any union officer, but I do realize that we wouldn't enjoy the contract that we have without a union. It's up to us to make sure it succeeds if we want to work under a decent contract.

There are very few volunteers. Mainly a lot of recycled members. Volunteer or run for office. Stop voting 90% for a contract and *****ing about it for years. Do something about it! There are plenty of openings now and probably more soon!

FLMD11CAPT

Properly filed for, a non-members maintenance fee will be considerably less than the annual dues of a member.

Check 6

Shack! And right on....to get enough characters...

RedeyeAV8r

No worries.