Question: How do I cut off the use of my dues for politics and other nonbargaining activities?
[NOTE: You must be a non-member to avail yourself of the rights discussed on this page. If you are currently a member of the union, you must resign and become a non-member to stop paying dues. To learn how to resign, click here.]
Answer: Employees of the federal government by law are guaranteed the right to refrain from assisting a union. See 5 U.S.C. § 7102 (federal employees generally); 39 U.S.C. § 1209(c) (postal employees). (U.S.C. stands for "United States Code." To access the United States Code, click here.) This means that you cannot be required to pay any dues or fees to the union unless you have voluntarily joined the union.
If you are a union member, you have no right to prevent use of your dues for its political activities, unless your union is one of the few that have voluntarily adopted a "political rebate" plan for members. If you are a union member and would like learn how to resign and stop paying any dues, click here.
If you would like to learn more about your rights as a federal employee, click on the appropriate question below:
- Can I be required to be a union member or pay dues to a union?
- How can I resign my union membership?
- How do I cut off the use of my dues for politics and other nonbargaining activities?
- What if I have religious objections to joining or financially supporting a union?
- What if I am a victim of union violence?
- What if I want to work during a strike?
