AFGE Local 2325’s dues have been $13/pay period for more than 10 years. This equates to $26/month. In August 2015, AFGE National Convention elected to raise the Per Capital Tax (PCT) for insured locals (we are an insured local) from 20.80/month to 21.96/month. For retirees that increase in PCT went from $1 to $2 per month. (Retirees’ PCT increased to $24 per year. Retiree’s dues were only $26 per year.
Our By-laws require us to pay to the AFGE Southern Council a PCT of $2.50 per month for each member. The numbers look like this:
$21.96 – PCT to AFGE
+$ 2.50 – PCT to AFGE Southern Council
$24.46 = Total Monthly PCT per member
$26.00 – Total monthly Dues (at $13.00/pay period)
-$24.46 – Total monthly PCT per member
$ 1.54 = Remaining monthly balance of member’s dues that goes to the Local.
Article IV Section 1 of the AFGE Standard Local Constitution states: Local dues shall be established and adjusted as may be necessary to ensure that they allow adequate funds for payment of Per Capita tax and sufficient funds for the operating expense of the local.
The dues we pay to AFGE are for AFGE to represent us in Washington, DC in the form of full-time lobbyists who lobby for our interest on Capitol Hill. AFGE is the largest non-political lobbying organization on Capitol Hill, as opposed to the special interest groups you hear about on a regular basis for various political issues.
The Local’s operating expenses are paid for with the remaining dues money. The three main function of a local are 1) representation, 2) organizing and 3) legislation. To do any of these things well, we need support from our members and we need to grow our local.
Our dues now are increased from $30 per month ($15/pay period). Retired Persons were paying $26.00 annually are now paying $31.00 annually.
• Representation is the function of representing employees who ask for assistance from our Local.
• Organizing is the function of building the local.
• Legislative and political efforts are the efforts we make with our elected officials to advocate on behalf of our co-workers. The phone calls to National Officials and Capitol Hill (off duty and off the work site) are the no-cost portion of this effort.
There are many other expenses of the Local, including: Securing meeting space, compensation for travel to attend meetings and orientations, mailings of notifications, keeping the BU members informed (Newsletter & Website), etc.
We hope this explanation of what dues money is used for will help answer the question of how much the dues are and what they get used for.
Aaron Lee - AFGE Local 2325 Secretary
Marty Simmons - AFGE Local 2325 Treasurer
Ms. Pearl Fraley – AFGE Local President. (afge.local2325.madampresident@gmail.com)
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