Tag: dues

Interim Dues are Happening!

After months of City feet dragging and City technology issues, interim dues is launching! This is a huge step forward in building our union – thank you for your patience and your commitment to winning a strong contract!

Interim dues will be automatically deducted from your March 21st, 2024 paycheck and will continue to be deducted from each paycheck until a contract is ratified.  (Note:  This applies to those who have signed a membership card and have authorized dues to be deducted.  Membership gives benefits like voting rights, etc.  We encourage all eligible City employees to become members to have the full rights and privileges of CPPW membership.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do we pay dues?

Dues are a crucial part of having a strong union – they allow us to pay for needed expenses, maintain an infrastructure, get the trainings we need to fight at the contract table, and have the resources to exercise our power. Most importantly, dues paying membership demonstrates to the City that CPPW members support the union effort and are ready to back up that support with action!

What are CPPW dues right now (aka, Interim Dues)?

In early December 2023, with a vote of 91% in favor, the CPPW membership voted to institute flat interim dues of 0.5% of gross monthly salary as a temporary measure to raise money to fight for our first contract.

How to I figure out my Interim Dues cost?

Base hourly wage (no overtime and before taxes or any pay enhancements) x .005

For example, if you make $50 an hour
$50x.005=0.25
Or 25 cents an hour
.25×80 hours a pay check = $20 in dues per pay check

What will dues be once we have a contract? 

Great question – check out this website page of all things dues!

How can I contribute to my union through dues? 

Sign your union card now! Signing your union card is a commitment to pay dues and allow automatic dues deduction on your paycheck.

What if I need to stop paying dues? 

You may need to stop contributing because of a financial crisis or some other reason, we understand! You must submit your request for a hardship exception or a request to revoke your membership card in writing to info@cppwunion.org 10 days before pay day so that both CPPW and the City can fully process your request. (That’s the Monday before timesheets are due).

All About Dues

Want to get all your dues questions answered? See the Progressive Dues page for FAQ and lots of details. 

 

____________________

The message below is from 2024 and may be out of date:

A Message from Your Union Treasurer 

Dues graphic.

Hello Union Siblings! 

Dues are a crucial part of having a strong union – they allow us to pay for needed expenses, maintain an infrastructure, get the trainings we need to fight at the contract table, and have the resources to exercise our power. Most importantly, dues allow us all to contribute to building this union together.  

Dues also generate a lot of questions! Let’s take a minute and dig into dues together.   

What are CPPW dues right now? 

In early December 2023, with a vote of 91% in favor, the CPPW membership voted to institute flat interim dues of 0.5% of gross monthly salary as a temporary measure to raise money to fight for our first contract. 

Why aren’t dues being taken out of my paycheck? 

In late December, CPPW alerted the City that they should begin a dues paycheck deduction from all signed members in good standing as of 1/4/2024. Unfortunately, key City administrators say they need additional information from us in order to start the process. At the same time, those City administrators have not shown up to the scheduled meetings where we are supposed to be answering their questions. It is our legal right to fund our organization with interim dues from paycheck deductions. We will continue to press on this matter and will escalate as necessary to get this process going. 

If the City is not taking any dues now, will there be any retroactive dues? 

No. The CPPW membership will not be penalized for the City’s failure to deduct dues in a timely fashion.  

Why do we need interim dues? 

Traditional dues are implemented as part of a final contract with an employer. In the meantime, interim dues are essential to CPPW’s success in bargaining. Interim dues will pay for legal fees, administrative costs, printing, communications, technology, training fees, and more. A dues paying membership also demonstrates to the City that CPPW’s people support the union effort and are ready to back up that support with action! 

What will dues be once we have a contract? 

CPPW has designed a Progressive Dues structure which makes dues both affordable and equitable. This dues structure was codified in the Constitution and Bylaws, specifically Bylaw 2.  

What are progressive dues?  

Progressive Dues are a more fair and equitable dues structure where every person’s base, pre-tax wages are divided into brackets which correspond to a specific dues percentage. If, for example, a member made $50,000 or less annually their dues would be 0%, the next bracket ($50,000-$75,000) pays 1.45% on that $25,000 and so on. 

To put progressive dues in context: 

  • Average CPPW Wage is $102,500 – dues at this wage would amount to .93% (less than 1% of your base wages) 
  • Highest CPPW wage is $163,321 – dues at this wage would amount to 1.75% 

How does this compare to other Unions? 

  • AFSCME 189’s dues are a flat rate of 1.77% for all members. 
  • ProTec 17’s dues are a flat rate of .85% for all members. 

If you have questions please do not hesitate to reach out to treasurer Chris Gustafson at: Treasurer@CPPWUnion.org