Union Fees, should my employer pay?

flended12

Please move this query or merge with another if already answered.

Simple query is should my employer pay my annual union fee and then claim it back via my wages on a weekly/biweekly/monthly basis?

Or should I pay myself as its my choice to join said union?

AvaKinder

Pay yourself - usually via salary deduction if the union is authorised

The Mulk

flended12 wrote: »

Please move this query or merge with another if already answered.

Simple query is should my employer pay my annual union fee and then claim it back via my wages on a weekly/biweekly/monthly basis?

Or should I pay myself as its my choice to join said union?

I would say you should pay it yourself, I always have.
Your employer would probably prefer if you weren't in a union!

flended12

The Mulk wrote: »

I would say you should pay it yourself, I always have.
Your employer would probably prefer if you weren't in a union!

Employer no issue with membership, none at all.

Thanks for advice and any other views welcome on original query.

The Mulk

flended12 wrote: »

Employer no issue with membership, none at all.

Thanks for advice and any other views welcome on original query.

Sorry it was a poor attempt at a joke:o

In private sector I set up a direct debit, as far as I remember, paid weekly
In public sector job now I've set up a payroll deduction, paid fortnightly.

flended12

The Mulk wrote: »

In public sector job now I've set up a payroll deduction, paid fortnightly.

Thats what I thought, but to clarify employer is not obliged to pay on my behalf and then claw back.

touts

I don't think an employer paying union membership is really the best. That means the "customer" of the union (i.e. the entity who pays them and therefore the entity they serve) is the employer not the employee. If there is a conflict who do you think the union will really want to help. The one individual in the dispute who is a very minor part of their membership or the company who pays the bills.

The Mulk

flended12 wrote: »

Thats what I thought, but to clarify employer is not obliged to pay on my behalf and then claw back.

No, with SIPTU it's an after tax deduction taken at source, it's a pro rata annual sub paid directly to the union.
If you join in June you only pay a 6 month sub, not the full 12 months.
You are the member not your employer.
I hope this helps.

OMM 0000

flended12 wrote: »

Or should I pay myself as its my choice to join said union?

You should pay yourself.

Your employer doesn't want you in a union so keep things separate.

ibarelycare

touts wrote: »

I don't think an employer paying union membership is really the best. That means the "customer" of the union (i.e. the entity who pays them and therefore the entity they serve) is the employer not the employee. If there is a conflict who do you think the union will really want to help. The one individual in the dispute who is a very minor part of their membership or the company who pays the bills.

The employer wouldn't be paying them, they'd just be facilitating the deduction through payroll. The employee would still be the "customer". Similar to pension/health insurance/credit union etc deductions that are facilitated through payroll.