Delegates to the CUPW national convention held from April 13-17 voted in favour of a dues increase for urban postal workers and some Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers (RSMC). Most of the increase will be returned to locals for their use.

The resolution specifies four distinct parts:

• Increase the check-off rate of union dues from 290% of the maximum hourly rate for the lowest classification in the bargaining unit (PO-2 Mail Handler) to 300% ($2.27/month).
• Increase the extra rebate for locals with 250 members or less to $250 per month.
• Increase the percentage of union dues remitted to locals from 25% to 26% of the basic monthly rate.
• Commit one million dollars a year to the national defence fund.

Basic dues will increase by $2.27 a month from $65.89 to $68.16.  RSMC members will continue to pay 1.67% of their wage component to the new maximum monthly rate of $68.16. Private sector bargaining unit union dues are based on the pay rates in each collective agreement. Approximately 50 locals have a local dues assessment that is not affected by this increase.

According to the union’s projections, 69.4% of the dues increase will go to locals. The remaining 30.6% will go to the national office with the stipulation that money be committed to the defence fund. Members will notice the increased deduction for union dues on their pay May 15. Locals will receive rebates reflecting the dues increase by July 15.

Here are some examples of what the change in dues will mean to locals of different sizes.

Example # 1 – Monthly rebate remitted to a local with 26 dues paying members

Example # 2 – Monthly rebate remitted to a local with 260 dues paying members

Example # 3 – Monthly rebate remitted to a local with 2,600 dues paying members

Some of the reasons for the dues increase listed in the resolution include:

• Providing increased service to members such as education and arbitration,
• Dealing with an employer that is more arrogant, and
• Building the national defence fund.

The union is facing some difficult challenges in the coming years: the Modern Post, the strategic review of Canada Post and harassment from Manulife Financial.