Important Dues Notice
The computer only recognizes a full payment for any given month. Dues that are deducted from your pay once a month are sent in by the 15th of the following month. For example; December dues are remitted in the month of January. The dues go up at the first of the year in order to be compliant with the LIUNA Constitution. If the Company does not deduct the increase in December, the member's dues fall in arrears by $1.00. The computer does not recognize this as a full payment and will issue a reminder letter after the first week of the second month. Another example that tends to be an issue is when a member goes on holidays or takes a leave of absence from work. The payroll office does not deduct monthy dues, because of the members absence for that week. When receiving this notice, all a member has to do is call reception in Edmonton or Fort McMurray to find out where their dues stand.
The concerns that the members have when they receive this notice, are as follows:
1. That they are getting kicked out of the Union. This is false.
2. That this will affect their pensions. This is false.
3. That they will loose their Health & Welfare converage. This is false.
The reality of members dues falling in arrears more than two months are as follows:
1. That the member looses their accumulated years of continuous service with International.
2. That the member may be removed from the job site for failing to pay dues.
3. the only way that a member can loose their membership is when they fail to pay dues for 12 consecutive months.
4. The member will be suspended and loose their position on the out of work board.
5. The member will have to pay penalties when being readmitted from suspension.