Below is a sample union resignation letter. Send the original to the union, send a copy to your employer, and save a copy for your files. You should check your union’s constitution and bylaws to see if it specifies to whom a resignation must be sent. You should also check with the union to see if it has a policy concerning when and to hom objections to the amount of the union fees should be submitted.

[LETTER TO UNION:

SEND BY CERTIFIED MAIL,

RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED]

[your address]

[date]

[name and address of union]
[Name of appropriate union officer]:

I hereby resign as a member of [name of union].  My resignation is effective immediately upon its receipt by the union or its agent. I will continue to meet my lawful obligation of paying a representation fee to the union under its "union security" agreement with [name of employer].

Furthermore, I object to collection and expenditure of a fee for any purpose other than my pro rata share of the union’s costs of collective bargaining, contract administration, and grievance adjustment, as is my constitutional right under Abood v. Detroit Board of Education, 431 U.S. 209 (1977).  Pursuant to Chicago Teachers Union v. Hudson, 475 U.S. 292 (1986), I request that you provide me with my First-Amendment procedural rights, including: reduction of my fees to an amount that includes only constitutionally chargeable costs; notice of the calculation of that amount, verified by an independent certified public accountant; and notice of the procedure that you have adopted to hold my fees in an interest-bearing escrow account and give me an opportunity to challenge your calculation and have it reviewed by an impartial decisionmaker.

[If you pay dues by payroll deduction, include the following:  Accordingly, I also hereby notify you that I wish to authorize only the deduction from my wages of representation fees limited to those costs that are lawfully chargeable under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. If I am required to sign a form to make that change, please provide me with the necessary form.]

Please reply promptly. Any further collection or expenditure of dues or fees from me made without the procedural safeguards required by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution will violate my civil rights under the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1871, 42 U.S. Code § 1983, and the U.S. Constitution. 

Finally, please consider this objection to be permanent and continuing in nature.

Sincerely yours,

[name]

cc: [name of employer]

[LETTER TO EMPLOYER:

SEND BY CERTIFIED MAIL,

RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED]

[your address]
[date]

[name and address of department responsible for payroll deductions]

[To appropriate payroll department management employee]:

Today I submitted my resignation from [name of the union]. A copy of my letter to the union is enclosed. I will continue to meet my lawful obligation of paying a representation fee to the union under its "union shop" or "agency shop" agreement with [name of employer].

Furthermore, I object to the collection and expenditure by the union of a fee for any purpose other than my pro rata share of the union’s costs of collective bargaining, contract administration, and grievance adjustment, as is my right under Abood v. Detroit Board of Education, 431 U.S. 209 (1977).  Pursuant to Chicago Teachers Union v. Hudson, 475 U.S. 292 (1986), I request that you ensure that the union provides me with my procedural rights, including those outlined in my letter to the union. If it does not, I ask that [name of employer] provide them.

[If you pay dues by payroll deduction, include this paragraph: Accordingly, I also hereby notify you that I wish to authorize only the deduction of representation fees. If I am required to sign a new deduction authorization form to make that change, please provide me with the necessary form.]

Please reply promptly to my request.  Any further collection or expenditure of dues or fees from me made without the procedural safeguards required by law will violate my rights under the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1871, 42 U.S. Code § 9, and/or U.S. Constitution.

Sincerely yours,
[name]

If you would like to learn more about your rights as a public school teacher or college professor, click on the appropriate question below: