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Union Dues, Fees, or Charity Payments: Know Your Options

The Union Security article in the contract between Cornell and CGSU-UE  establishes whether and when graduate students who are members of the bargaining unit must join CGSU-UE or pay other fees to the union for representing them in collective bargaining.

The Union Security article recognizes the contractual agreement between the union and the university while preserving freedom of choice and respecting student beliefs by allowing charitable donations in lieu of union dues or fees for students who object to union membership on religious, moral, or ethical grounds.

Details of Exemptions for Religious, Moral, or Ethical Beliefs

The Union Security article provides three different choices for graduate student workers:

  • Union membership: Join the union and pay dues, OR
  • Agency fee: Do not join and pay an agency fee to the union, OR
  • Charitable contribution: Do not join and advise the union of a religious objection (including on moral or ethical grounds) and donate an equivalent amount to a charitable organization (United Way, American Heart Association, or American Cancer Society).

The charitable contribution option provides graduate student workers who object to union membership based on a sincerely held religious, moral, or ethical belief the right to elect to make a charitable contribution in lieu of membership dues or agency fees. To elect this option, the graduate student worker should  advise the union in writing of their religious, moral, or ethical objection, and make a monthly charitable contribution in an amount equivalent to union dues to the United Way, the American Heart Association, or the American Cancer Society. 

The article states that students who elect this option must show proof to the union of having made the contributions to charity. This could be accomplished by setting up a recurring monthly donation online and listing the union as one of the recipients of the monthly donation notification or retaining your monthly proof of payment to provide to the union.

How to Exercise Your Right to a Religious Objection (Including on Moral or Ethical Grounds)

Step 1: Advise the union of your religious (including a moral or ethical) objection to joining and maintaining membership in a union, including CGSU-UE, by email (objections@ueunion.org) or mail:

Religious Objections
United Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers of America (UE)
4 Smithfield Street, 9th Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Graduate student workers are not required to use any particular form to elect payment of the charitable contribution in lieu of membership dues or agency fees. If your election advises the union of your religious, moral, or ethical objection, the election will be processed.

Consistent with EEOC guidelines, the union can only ask for further information regarding the belief if they have an “objective basis” for questioning the belief.

Step 2: Sign up for one (1) or more of the following charities, all of which have an automatic monthly donation option:

  1. American Heart Association (AHA Donation Link)
  2. American Cancer Society (ACS Donation Link)
  3. The United Way (there are multiple United Way chapters, or you can donate via the United Way National Donation Link)

Step 3: Ensure that you are making monthly contributions in the amount of monthly union dues and initiation fees. The union’s website indicates dues are equal to 1.44% of a graduate student worker’s stipend. 

Step 4: Show proof to the union of having made the contributions to charity in the amount of membership dues on a monthly basis. To the extent that the charity permits you to automatically send donation receipts to specific addresses, you could identify the union as an automatic recipient of your donation receipts. You should retain your proof of payment and proof that you have submitted it to the union.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Are students who refuse to join the union or pay agency fees still covered by the collective bargaining agreement?

Yes. Although students cannot be forced to join a union, any who have a classification that falls within the bargaining unit will be bound by the terms of the collective bargaining agreement. This is true whether or not the student becomes a member of the union, pays an agency fee or, if the student chooses to make charitable contributions in lieu of dues or fees.

The union has a duty to fairly represent everyone in the bargaining unit regardless of union membership status.

Who is covered by the collective bargaining agreement (“CBA”) between the university and the union (CGSU-UE)?

The CBA covers Cornell Ph.D. and Master’s students who receive a stipend from Cornell to provide teaching or research services in titles including teaching assistants, research assistants, graduate assistants, and graduate research assistants. All other titles, including graduate student fellows, are excluded from the bargaining unit.

Students in titles excluded from the unit are not covered by the contract and are not required to make an election under one of the three options provided by the Union Security article of the CBA.

What does the Union Security article require?

The Union Security Clause – in the collective bargaining agreement (“CBA”) between the university and the union (CGSU-UE) – requires that you do one (1) of following three (3) options:

  • Join the union and pay union dues on a monthly basis;
  • Do not join the union and pay the union an agency fee, which will be an amount set by the union in accordance with applicable law up to the equivalent of union dues; or
  • If you have a sincerely held religious belief (which includes moral and ethical beliefs) that prevents you from joining and maintaining membership in CGSU-UE, (i) advise the Union of your religious (including moral or ethical) objection; (ii) make monthly charitable contribution to a charity listed in the CBA; and (iii) show proof to the union of having made the contributions to charity in the amount of membership dues on a monthly basis.
Will the university make payroll deductions automatically?

No. The university will only make deductions from payroll for dues and agency fees if you provide a signed authorization form. If you have questions or want more information on the process, please contact the union.

How do I elect to pay union dues?

Generally, to pay initiation fees and union dues, you can either (i) sign an authorization form permitting the university to deduct dues from your paycheck; or (ii) pay the monthly dues amount directly to the union. If you have questions or want more information on the dues paying process, please contact the union.

How do I pay agency fees?

Generally, to pay agency fees, you can either (i) sign an authorization form permitting the university to deduct agency fees from your paycheck; or (ii) pay the monthly agency fees amount directly to the union. If you have questions or want more information on the agency fee paying process, please contact the union.

Am I eligible to make charitable contributions in lieu of dues or agency fees?

If you have a sincerely held religious belief as defined by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) that prohibits you from joining and maintaining membership in a union, including CGSU-UE, the CBA permits you to elect to pay the amount equivalent to initiation fees and monthly dues to charity, in lieu of payments to the union.

Under the CBA, sincerely held religious beliefs must be consistent with the EEOC’s definition. That definition includes moral and ethical beliefs and does not require that (i) the belief is held by an established religion or religious group; or (ii) the religion or religious group that you might belong to accepts such belief. 

If you hold such belief that prohibits you from joining and maintaining membership in a union – including CGSU-UE – you are eligible to make charitable contributions in lieu of union dues or agency fees.