Dues and Per Capita Information

Dues increases are based on an average wage increase obtained through negotiations for the UWUA membership for the year. Below is the latest notice of per capita and dues adjustments for this year.

October 24, 2024

To: All UWUA Financial Officers
From: Michael Coleman, National Secretary-Treasurer
Subject: Notification of Dues and Per Capita Increases – 2025

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

In accordance with the Constitution of the Utility Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO, adopted in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on April 6, 1946, and amended through July 29, 2023, the National Union is officially notifying all local unions that the monthly dues paid by the membership is to be increased as of January 1, 2025, as follows:

  • This required increase in dues, pursuant to Article VI, Section 1a of the National Constitution, is based on an average wage increase obtained through negotiations for the UWUA membership for the year 2024 of 47% of the Base Average Dues of $91.93.
  • The amount of the monthly membership increase is three dollars and nineteen cents ($3.19) per month.
  • The increase in per capita paid to the National Union will be equal to 50% of the monthly dues increase of three dollars and nineteen cents ($3.19) per month, or one dollar and fifty-nine cents ($1.59)
  • The current monthly per capita of thirty dollars and eighty-eight cents ($30.88) per month will increase to thirty-two dollars and forty-seven cents ($32.47)
  • The breakdown of the monthly per capita of thirty-two dollars and forty-seven cents ($32.47) received by the National Union will be as follows: three dollars and twenty-seven cents ($3.27) to the Special Defense and Organizing Fund, and twenty-nine dollars and twenty cents ($29.20) to the General Fund

Membership/Employer Notification Actions

  • Each local union’s financial officer is required to notify the employer where a checkoff agreement is in effect, to increase the dues deduction by $3.19 beginning with the month of January 2025.
  • For those local unions not having checkoff agreements with their respective companies, you will be required to notify each member that his or her monthly dues will be increased by $3.19 beginning with the month of January 2025.
  • If you encounter any problems with an Employer in instituting this increase, please notify the National Union Office immediately. We will do whatever we can to assist you in resolving these problems.

Per Capita to the National Union

  • For those local unions that have the entire dues checkoff remitted to the National Office, send the proper notification to the employer regarding this $3.19 increase in the monthly dues to the membership. The National Office will withhold the thirty-two dollars and forty-seven cents ($32.47) per member from the dues checkoff check received.
  • For those local unions collecting dues directly from their membership, or those local unions receiving the checkoff check from an employer, they will be required to increase their monthly per capita payment to the National Union to thirty-two dollars and forty-seven cents ($32.47) per month when filing their January per capita reports, whether submitted in January or February

Membership Data Requirements

  • Pursuant to Article VI of the Constitution, as amended on July 29, 2023, when the local union, regional board or joint council forward the per capita payment due to the National Union on the 15th of each month, it must also submit an accurate list of names and addresses of its members. In order to provide the National with your local’s membership data, please refer to Attachment “A” for further instructions.

The National Constitution includes a provision which would permit any local union, that feels it can pay the increased monthly per capita to the National Union and still have sufficient funds necessary to carry on the required activities of the local at its current level of dues, or at the level below the automatic increase of three dollars and nineteen cents ($3.19) per month, to reduce its dues structure at any time after the increase has been placed into effect. A vote of the membership must be conducted in the same manner as a normal vote of a motion, by requiring that the local not put the automatic increase into effect, for this action to be in compliance with the Labor­ Management Reporting and Disclosure Act. It is not proper for any local union to continue its dues at the current level, or to decrease its dues structure by merely ignoring this notification of the Convention’s action to increase the dues in the manner stated above.

If your local union eventually does take action to decrease the dues required of the membership, or to increase them at any time, above the automatic increase, when necessary to provide sufficient operating funds for the local union, please notify the National Office so that the National Union records can be properly maintained. 

If you have any questions, or need additional information with regard to this requirement, or any of the matters contained in this notification, please contact the National Office.

Fraternally,

Michael Coleman, National Secretary-Treasurer
Utility Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO

cc: All Local Union and Council Presidents
UWUA National Officers, Executive Board, and Staff

Enclosures:
Article VI, Section 1 and 1a
2025 Per Capita Form
Attachment “A”
Attachment “B”
Local Officer Notification Form