Union Members: Where Do Your Dues Go?

Union members are used to paying dues, but many may not know exactly where their hard-earned money goes.

Unions are big businesses; they can rake in hundreds of millions of dollars a year. They do it by taking dues directly from their members’ paychecks. In 28 states, workers cannot even say no.

Union financial filings reported to the Department of Labor show that many union officials have salaries well into the six figures. The NEA has over 400 employees making over $100,000 a year; the Laborer’s union has 16 employees making over $250,000.

Most of the top labor organizations in the country spend more on politics and administration than they do on representation. The NEA’s D.C. headquarters is worth over $110 million and the AFL-CIO’s building is valued at over $90 million.

Union boss salaries and lavish D.C. headquarters demonstrate a stark contrast between their lifestyles and the standard of living of their members.