Terminology and jargon pertaining to union dues can be confusing. This page hopes to ease some of this confusion by addressing some general questions one may have about dues pertaining to Stanford Workers’ Graduate Union (SGWU). For any questions, please email contact@sgwu.us.

Table of contents

  1. General Terminology
    1. What does the “bargaining unit” mean?
    2. What are “dues” vs. “agency fees”?
  2. Purpose of Dues
    1. Why are we required to pay dues?
    2. Why does SGWU pay dues to UE National?
  3. Paying Contractually Required Dues and Agency Fees
    1. How much are we contractually required to pay?
    2. How do I pay my dues or agency fees?
  4. Being a Member in “Good Standing” and Voluntary Dues
    1. What does it mean to be a “member in good standing”?
    2. What do I need to do to become a “member in good standing”?
    3. I am fully funded by a biweekly appointment, and I’ve signed a membership card. How do I become a member in good standing?
    4. I receive BOTH a fellowship, have a biweekly appointment, and I’ve signed a membership card. How do I become a member in good standing?
    5. What if I am a fully funded fellow who doesn’t teach but I want to become a member in good standing?
    6. I haven’t signed a membership card. How do I become a member in good standing?
  5. General Donations
    1. How do I make a donation?

1. General Terminology

What does the “bargaining unit” mean?

The bargaining unit (BU) refers to the complete set of graduate workers who are completely protected and covered by the contract. Currently, you are in the bargaining unit if you have a biweekly appointment (RA/TA/CA) of at least 10% or you are fully funded on a fellowship and you provide instructional services (aka a teaching fellow). If you have any confusion if you are in the BU or not, please reach out to contact@sgwu.us.

What are “dues” vs. “agency fees”?

The distinction between dues and agency fees is whether or not you wish to participate in union democratic processes, such as voting. You pay dues if you wish to be a member of the union and thereby, be able to participate in union democratic processes. You pay agency fees if you do not wish to be a member of the union, and therefore, will not be able to participate in union democratic processes. As set by our constitution, dues and agency fees are the same in amount.

2. Purpose of Dues

Why are we required to pay dues?

A union’s strength is built from the foundation of collective action. By making it mandatory for everyone in the BU to pay dues or agency fees, it guarantees our union to be strong, especially as we prepare for future contract campaigns. This requirement is known formally as “agency shop”. Unions without this requirement lose negotiating power over time and become weak.

Dues pay for union events, operations, and personnel. Examples of what dues pay for are below:

  1. A strike and defense fund
  2. Printing materials for flyers
  3. Rally materials like banners and audio equipment
  4. Food at events and organizing meetings
  5. Making merchandise (like T-shirts) for promotion of our union
  6. Storage space for equipment
  7. Office space for union organizers to meet with workers to discuss about grievances
  8. United Electrical (UE) staffers who help us with all of these operations

Why does SGWU pay dues to United Electrical (UE) National?

United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America, often called UE National, is the national labor union we formed under. Currently, in accordance with UE National’s constitution, we pay 2/3 of our expected dues to UE National. While this is a large portion, these national dues come back to help us greatly. The breakdown of what national dues are used for is shown below and also explained further here.

National dues breakdown figure

Each of the categories shown above help us directly. For example:

  1. The general UE National strike fund gives us an additional financial boost during contract campaigns
  2. UE staffers, paid by UE National, help us tremendously with day-to-day union operations and planning union events
  3. UE National organizes national and regional UE conferences, which allow us to network with sister unions and discuss organizational strategies
  4. Legal support helps cover any legal fees accrued during a grievance procedure
  5. The IT costs maintain the database used to conveniently and securely organize worker membership information

3. Paying Contractually Required Dues and Agency Fees

How much are we contractually required to pay?

If you are in the BU, you are contractually obligated to pay 1.44% of the portion of your gross (pre-tax) wages that counts as “bargaining unit” work. For example, if you are funded by both a fellowship and a biweekly pay appointment, then you are contractually obligated to pay 1.44% of only the gross (meaning pre-taxed) biweekly pay. Please note that paying your contractually required amount of dues does not immediately mean you are a “member in good standing” depending on your funding situation. Refer to the Good Standing and Voluntary Dues section below for more detail.

How do I pay my dues or agency fees?

The easiest way to pay dues is by signing an automatic payroll dues deduction card. Signing the card will authorize paying the contractually obligated amount of dues or agency fees by having them automatically deducted from your biweekly paychecks. We heavily recommend you sign such a card as it makes everyone’s life easier. These deductions will only occur during quarters for which you are in the BU. For quarters for which you are not in the BU, nothing will happen.

Please note that if you are a fully fellow who teaches, you are not paid biweekly so signing an automatic deduction card will allow us to mark you down as a member or nonmember but will not automatically pay your required dues. Therefore, teaching fellows must pay their dues or agency fees manually. Please email contact@sgwu.us to inquire about how to pay dues manually instead of through automatic deductions.

If you’d like to be a nonmember and sign a automatic deduction card, please email contact@sgwu.us for the nonmember agency fee deduction card link.

4. Good Standing and Voluntary Dues

What does it mean to be a “member in good standing”?

Being a “member in good standing” means being a member that has paid the required amount of dues that enables you to vote and participate in union democratic processes. As stipulated by our constitution, this required amount is 1.44% of your total gross wages. This is done to make it fair so that everyone who gets to vote has to pay the same relative amount. You can choose whether or not you’d like to do so.

What do I need to do to become a “member in good standing”?

This all depends on your funding situation. Please refer to the questions below corresponding to each funding situation. If you wish to be a member, we highly encourage you to sign the union dues deduction membership card.

I am fully funded by a biweekly appointment, and I’ve signed a membership card. How do I become a member in good standing?

You are already in good standing and do not have to do anything.

I receive BOTH a fellowship, have a biweekly appointment, and I’ve signed a membership card. How do I become a member in good standing?

If you are have signed a membership card, receive a fellowship, AND have a biweekly appointment (RA/TA/CA) of at least 10%, then you are in the bargaining unit. However, signing the membership card only deducts 1.44% of your biweekly salary and does not deduct anything from your fellowship. To be in good standing:

  1. Go to Axess -> Click on the My Finances tab -> click on Graduate Financial Support

    a. This takes you to a webpage breaking down your quarterly fellowship and biweekly stipend amounts

    b. Take a picture of the quarter you’re paying for. An example is shown below.

    Fellowship Quarterly Amount

  2. Pay 1.44% of the number next to “Fellowship Stipend” to be in good standing for the whole quarter. If you wish to pay for a single month, pay 1.44%*Fellowship Stipend/3

    a. Pay the amount here: https://tinyurl.com/VoluntaryDuesPortal

  3. Submit the picture of your fellowship stipend in Step 1b here: https://tinyurl.com/VoluntaryDuesDocumentation.

    a. If you do not submit documentation, you will not be marked down as being in good standing.

What if I am a fully funded fellow who doesn’t teach but I want to become a member in good standing?

If you are a fully funded fellow who doesn’t teach then you are not in the BU. To become in good standing:

  1. Sign a union membership card.

    a. This allows us to mark you down as a member and include you in important communications.

  2. Go to Axess -> Click on the My Finances tab -> click on Graduate Financial Support

    a. This takes you to a webpage breaking down your quarterly fellowship and biweekly stipend amounts

    b. Take a picture of the quarter you’re paying for. An example is shown below.

    Fellowship Quarterly Amount

  3. Pay 1.44% of the number next to “Fellowship Stipend” to be in good standing for the whole quarter. If you wish to pay for a single month, pay 1.44%*Fellowship Stipend/3

    a. Pay the amount here: https://tinyurl.com/VoluntaryDuesPortal

  4. Submit the picture of your fellowship stipend in Step 1b here: https://tinyurl.com/VoluntaryDuesDocumentation.

    a. If you do not submit documentation, you will not be marked down as being in good standing.

I haven’t signed a membership card but I have a biweekly assistantship of at least 10%. How do I become a member in good standing?

Please first sign the union dues deduction membership card. Then, email contact@sgwu.us for more information.

5. General Donations

How do I make a donation?

Donations can be made by anyone! Donations are separate from dues or agency fees. Please do not donate using any of the portals listed above this section. To donate, simply use the Zeffy portal with the following link: https://tinyurl.com/GeneralDonationPortal. This can also be accessed with the link: https://sgwu.us/donations