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BA Column
(Local 201 News, 1/15/08)
By Ric Casilli
SERIOUS NATIONAL DUES ISSUES TO
HURT IUE-CWA LOCALS
I need to inform our members of a very serious
problem on the horizon for 2009. When IUE merged with CWA back in 2001,
IUE Locals kept in tact much of the IUE's flat rate dues structure and
the amount of dues monies that were sent to the International unions
were capped at reasonable rates. However, the Merger agreement signed
between IUE and CWA has the “CAP” ending in 2009 and calls for
IUE-CWA Locals to have members’ dues, at a minimum, equal to 2 ¼ hours
pay per month. At the time of the merger in 2001, Local 201 raised big
concerns about the dues part of the merger agreement. We were assured
that no Locals would be hurt and members would not face huge increases.
The implementation of the current agreement would mean a 2009 dues
increase for about 50% of our members, with the higher rated
classifications paying the most. What is more significant is what the
elimination of the “CAP” means in terms of what percent of dues
monies stay with the Local. Despite more gross amounts of local dues
being collected, Local 201 would retain approximately $269,000 less
in 2009 then 2008!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It would cause both massive cuts
and a major dues increase. That is not acceptable!
Local 201 has struggled with budgets over the years, both
reasonably raising dues and making the responsible cuts necessary to
balance budgets. Our budgets have been balanced now for quite a few
years. However, this plan currently being mandated is unworkable if you
want a functioning activist progressive union
How do you take that much money out of a Local’s budget and expect
it to function effectively in the 3 areas of the CWA Triangle-
collective bargaining, organizing and political/community action???? It
is not going to happen. How does one justify the fact that while the
Local loses approximately $269,000 annually, the monies leaving
the Local increase by approximately $335,000 ( going to the
CWA International, Member’s Relief Fund, and Members Defense Fund)??????
In my opinion, this plan will kill many IUE-CWA Locals with either
huge dues increases, major losses of income or a mixture of both. I
believe this was not a well thought out dues plan, ill advised and done
in the hastiness of the necessity of getting a major merger agreement
accomplished before the IUE went bankrupt.
It needs to be re-visited and immediately. Otherwise, the negative
ramifications will be overwhelming.
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