Membership Dues and Fees

IBEW Local 1228 Dues/ Equivalents Calculations

The following is intended to help you understand your financial obligations to the Union and how your dues and fees are calculated under the IBEW Constitution and the Bylaws of IBEW Local 1228.

1. By law, each member of the Bargaining Unit in your shop is not required to become a member of the Union per se, they can become a “fee payer” which does not allow them to attend union meetings or vote on union contracts or elections but they are required to still pay what are called dues “equivalents”.

2. Each member of your IBEW Bargaining Unit is required to pay an initiation fee or equivalent of 20% of the top scale of the classification you are hired into.

3. From that point forward you are responsible for monthly Basic Dues or dues equivalent in the amount of $27.50 and Working Dues or dues equivalent is 1.55% of gross straight-time earnings under the labor agreement covering your wages, hours and working conditions. If you work on anything other than a regular, full-time basis, you should pay the Working Dues by the 10th calendar day following each month in which you actually worked. You should also submit a copy of your approved time sheet covering the month for which you are submitting payment of Working Dues, or copies of your pay check stubs for such months as required by the Bylaws (Article XIII, section 15)

4. The Admission Fee for joining the union is calculated at twenty percent (20%) of the top weekly base wage rate for full-time employment in your assigned job classification appearing in the applicable labor agreement.

5. If you are on an unpaid leave, long-term disability or other “off payroll” status, you remain obligated to pay the Basic Dues ($27.50), unless you apply for a change in your membership status to “Honorary Withdrawal” and that change is approved by the Local Union.

6. Fee Payers (Employees who do not wish to be members of the Union) must pay the equivalents of the Admission Fee and both Basic Dues and Working Dues on the same basis as all IBEW members. Dues equivalents payments are due for every calendar month in which bargaining unit work has occurred.

7. When a member falls more than three (3) months behind in dues payments, he/she will be charged a “Reinstatement Fee” of $3.00 in addition to the dues owed. They will also find that their “good standing” in the Union has been terminated. Such a designation prevents a member from voting during contract ratifications or in a Union election, or from running for office in an election.  After six (6) months of non-payment, membership is severed and the former member would have to again pay an admission fee plus all back owed dues in order to regain membership. If the member refuses to pay then the Union can ask for termination of their job.

Fee payers who fall behind by six or more months in dues equivalents lose their fee payer status and must pay a new admission fee and the past dues to regain the designation of fee payer. Reasonable re-payment plans can be arranged by calling the Union office and negotiating a mutually agreed to plan.

8. Members working under a collective bargaining agreement which includes a Checkoff Program may voluntarily elect to have their employer make deductions of amounts from their earnings and forward such          amounts on their behalf to the Union Office. You must fill out and sign the checkoff authorization form, and return it to the Union Office to enroll. This form is a contract between you and the IBEW Local 1228, and you     should read it carefully.

9. Whether or not you decide to enroll in the checkoff program, you are personally responsible for all payments of dues and fees. Therefore, until such time as the Automatic Checkoff Program goes into effect, you will remain responsible for all amounts due to the Union. You should not rely totally on the correctness of the checkoff program, but remain aware of the amounts deducted from your paycheck since you are the responsible party for the proper payments.

10. It is important that you notify the Union Office of any change in your work status as well as in address or telephone numbers. 

11. In order to cut back on expenses, effective September 1, 2006 Statements will only be emailed to Members who pay on their own and do not participate in payroll deduction at their shop.

12. Please make sure you supply your email address either by mail, phone 860-281-4185 or email fletcher@ibew1228.org.

13. If at any time you have questions regarding your statement, or are having difficulties paying the dues, please contact the office as soon as possible to make arrangements so we may avoid any of the above possibilities.