Dues Utilization:
What are your dues used for?

CWA Convention Delegates elected by their co-workers decide how the union’s money will be spent.  Here are just some of the benefits our dues help provide:

Negotiation of contracts to improve our wages, benefits and other terms and conditions by which we work.  Our 200 field staff, with expertise in collective bargaining, are assigned to 50 international union offices in the U.S. and Canada.

Mobilization of our members and the public to support our goals in bargaining, legislation, work place problem solving, organizing, and community action.

Enforcement of contracts and handling of grievances, including legal fees and the cost of arbitration and, in the public sector, civil service proceedings.

Research on employers’ benefit plans and finances, to help us prepare for bargaining and to protect our interests during the life of our contracts.

Lobbying for legislation at the local, state, and national level to help working people.

Educational programs and publications for union officers, stewards, and members.

Public relations to improve public understanding of our jobs and our union.

Programs to provide safe and healthful work places and to address the problems caused by job pressures and new technology.

Programs for creating equal opportunity for all workers regardless of race, age, sex, or national origin.

Organizing to help new members join CWA.  CWA regularly publishes detailed financial statements and reports showing how much money was collected and how it was spent.  CWA finances are open for inspection by any member.

Who Decides How Much Dues We Pay?

Only CWA members can decide our dues structure.  The elected convention delegates have set the per capita dues to the international union at less than ½ of one percent (0.46%).  Local union dues are established by the members themselves.  To insure that our locals remain strong and effective, convention delegates have mandated that local union dues cannot be less than 0.7 percent (7/10 of one percent).  Fifty cents per member per month is set aside in our defense fund.  In addition, delegates have established a special CWA Members’ Relief Fund, and allocated 0.15 percent dues for the purpose of providing assistance to our local unions facing stern resistance from their employers.

What Percentage of our Dues Goes to Work for Us?

ALL OF IT.  100%

The International Union share (35.5%):

21% International Union Field Services

4.0% Data Processing, Governance and Administration

3.0% Organizing

2.5% Legal

1.0% Government Relations and Social Action

1.0% Communications

1.0% Affiliations

1.0% Special Collective Bargaining Assistance

1.0% Education and Research

Here is a dues utilization chart: