In 2016, SHARE union dues will increase by $.18 per week for most SHARE members. That's an increase of $9.36 for the whole year, or less than half a cent per hour if you work 40 hours. (For employees working 20 hrs/week, dues will increase $.13 per week.) Below are the old and new rates per week.

	Weekly Dues
	2015	2016	increase/week
regular	$8.39	$8.57	$.18
20-hour	$6.29	$6.42	$.13

Where do the dues go?

About 65% stays with SHARE at UMass Memorial and our sister unions at UMass Medical School, Harvard University, and the Cambridge Health Alliance. Together our four local unions form NEOP (New England Organizing Project). As NEOP, we pool our money and share expenses: staff, rent and utilities, printing and mailing, etc.

The other 35% of the money goes to our national union, AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) in Washington, DC. They spend that money on organizing new local unions (they funded us when we formed our union here), lobbying (like for the FMLA), research (like looking at contract trends across the country), etc.

Let us know if you would like more detailed information about SHARE’s expenses or AFSCME’s expenses. The SHARE office number is 508-929-4020.

How is the dues increase determined?

Our national union, AFSCME, calculates the annual increase based on the average raise for AFSCME members across the country. The new rate goes into effect each January.