Unions are an important source of community and support for entertainment professionals, and member dues help fund the resources, representation and services they provide.
Just as with other routine financial commitments, budgeting for your union dues can help keep your finances balanced and ensure you can afford your dues.
What are union dues and how are they calculated?
To start, let’s define what union dues actually are. Union dues are regular payments made by union members to the union itself. These dues are sometimes paid directly by the worker to the union, and other times the worker authorizes their employer to send dues directly to the union.
These dues are used for a variety of purposes, including the support of collective bargaining for fair wages and contracts, health and retirement benefits, workplace protections and advocacy, and providing union members with access to jobs and professional networks.
Union dues are often split into multiple buckets, including:
- A one-time initiation fee
- Base dues that everyone pays, regardless of earnings
- Work dues, which are generally a percentage of earnings
Each union has its own way of determining the specifics of their fees and dues, but they should be clearly posted and accessible to you before you join your union.
What dues do I need to know about as an entertainment professional?
Depending on your profession, you may be a part of one or more unions in the entertainment industry, each with their own dues schedule.
Most creative professionals are eligible to be a part of at least one of the following unions, and subject to their dues schedules:
- SAG-AFTRA: Calculated annually and paid in two installments
- WGA: Generally paid quarterly
- DGA: Generally paid quarterly
- IATSE: Dues schedules vary by local
By keeping track of which union dues you owe, and when, you can start to make a plan for how best to fit them into your budget.
How do I budget for union dues?
If you’ve visited this blog before, you’ll know that the first step to budgeting for a specific cost or expense is to build a basic budget. Once you’ve got that in place, you can start budgeting for your union dues by gathering information about what dues and fees your union charges. Then you can break those costs down into quarterly, monthly, or even weekly amounts so you can spread them out across paychecks.
An example of how this might look, depending on how your union’s dues are structured:
- Paying your $3,000 initiation fee out of your savings, or via a union dues loan
- Setting aside $50 each month (or about $13 each week) to pay your $150 quarterly union dues
- Putting 1.75% of your paycheck from any union jobs into a savings account so it’s available when it’s time to make your payment
Just as with all of your other bills, the key is to include these costs in your regular budget. By spreading the cost out over several weeks or pay periods, you’ll feel the cost a little less each time.
Your union dues are an investment in yourself and your future, because memberships in unions and guilds provide community and support for working professionals—all of which will help you further your career and work toward personal and professional goals.
Have questions about how to save for union dues or secure a union dues loan? First Entertainment Credit Union has been supporting creative professionals for more than 50 years and has a deep understanding of the entertainment industry. Let us help you today.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What are union dues?
Union dues are regular payments that you make to a union (or unions) in exchange for support during collective bargaining for fair wages and contracts, access to jobs and career resources, workplace protections and advocacy, and more. Union dues often include a one-time initiation fee, annual or quarterly base dues, plus additional work dues calculated at a fixed percentage rate.
How do I budget for union dues?
Check in with your union about their fees and rates, and then begin building those costs into your monthly budget. This includes money for your initiation fee, quarterly or annual dues, and your work dues. By spreading these costs out across multiple paychecks or pay periods you’ll help keep your daily spending and savings leveled out.
What if I can’t afford my union dues?
Luckily, there are loans specifically for union dues. The First Entertainment Union Dues Loan is designed specifically for professionals in the entertainment industry. You can cover union membership fees quickly and easily with competitive rates and quick turn-around.
