Severance Pay: Union dues should not be deducted

October 27, 2020 4:55 PM

Most hotels covered by the IWA, Division A and GRIWA contracts have started to pay severance to laid off workers in accordance with the arbitration award won in September and the HTC-represented casinos have started to pay severance to workers who were not recalled to work. The Union made the decision and has instructed employers NOT to deduct dues from your severance pay.

What to do if your hotel or casino deducted dues from your severance pay

If your hotel or casino has mistakenly deducted dues from your weekly severance checks, you can either allow the dues to be applied to your balance or you can call the Dues Department at (212) 245-8100 and select option #4 to have the Union refund you.

Am I required to pay union dues while laid off?

If you are on an extended layoff for a period of two or more full consecutive calendar months, you are not required to pay union dues. Instead, you can have your membership suspended. You can read more about how suspending your membership will affect you in the Dues Q&A on our website.

Paying your dues would be a big help

For those members that can afford to, paying your dues would help our Union remain strong during this crisis. While the Union’s leadership has done an excellent job managing our finances responsibly, no one expected a situation with such a dire impact on our industry. Our Union is financed entirely by our members’ dues. Union dues pay to operate the Union on a day to day basis and to employ business agents to represent you and to enforce the contract, organizers to increase our density, mobilize our membership, and build our political power, and lawyers to negotiate your contracts and defend against lawsuits. Dues pay to print your contracts, run the Union’s website, and for our phone lines, among other things.

With 90% of our members laid off, our Union has been drawing on its treasury to represent you throughout this crisis. HTC has had to layoff 30% of its staff and Local 6, 19% of its staff. The remaining employees and officers of both HTC and Local 6 have all taken large cuts in pay and benefits.

How to self-pay your dues while laid off

Any members who want to self-pay their dues can call the HTC Dues Department at (212) 245-8100 and select option #4. Dues Staff will return your call and set you up to pay your dues online by credit or debit card or by mailing a check.