If you are a nonmember of the IAM paying dues to keep your job, you are entitled to claim a reduction in your 2009 IAM dues of approximately 25%.

For 2009, the IAM admits that 30.54% of International union dues, 16.77% of district lodge dues and 20.61% of local lodge dues are spent on political, ideological and other non-representational activities for which no employee can be required to pay. According to the "Notice" published in the Fall 2008 issue of the "IAM Journal," you can claim this reduction by sending a letter postmarked during the month of November 2008, to:

Warren L. Mart, General Secretary- Treasurer
International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers
9000 Machinists Place
Upper Marlboro, MD. 20772-2687.

Your letter can be short and simple, and needs only to state that you are a nonmember represented by the IAM, and that you object to paying for the unions' political and other nonrepresentational activities. Include your name, home address, name of your employer, and the Local Lodge number of the union that represents your bargaining unit, if you know it. Note: You may also state in the letter that your objection is "continuing in nature from year to year until revoked by me."

Under recent federal court cases, railroad and airline employees, who are covered by the Railway Labor Act, need only send a "continuing" objection letter one time. That objection will be permanent, unless and until you decide to change your status. Thus, if you are a railroad or airline employee and have already sent in a timely continuing objection, you do not need to renew it this November. However, under current case law, employees covered by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) are required to send in a new letter each November. (Currently pending legal action may eliminate this "annual renewal of objections" requirement, and NLRA-covered employees can try to anticipate that change in the law by including the "continuing objection" language in their current letters.)

Further note: If you are now a member of the IAM, you need to resign your membership in order to claim this dues reduction, since the IAM does not allow members to receive the dues reduction. Click here for additional information on resigning and objecting. If you have any questions or comments or need help concerning these matters, you may contact us via e-mail at legal@nrtw.org, or by phone at 1-800-336-3600