AFSCME 33

To opt out of AFSCME 33 dues:

Enter your information into the form below and click “submit.”
On the resulting page, click the link to open your customized form. You will also receive an email with a link to your form.
Print the form. If you check the appropriate box about needing a printed version, we’ll mail you a copy of the form.
Sign and date the form and make two copies.
Mail the completed form to the address at the top of the form. We highly recommend sending it via certified mail.
Provide a copy to your employer’s payroll officer and keep a copy for your files.

AFSCME Council 33 is the designated union representing approximately 10,000 employees of the City of Philidelphia and other public employees in the eastern region of Pennsylvania.

For years, public employees in Pennsylvania have been forced to pay union dues as a condition of employment, allowing unions to take their members for granted. However, the U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that public employees can no longer be required to financially support a labor union against their will. (Janus v. AFSCME, 2018).

“States and public-sector unions may no longer extract [funds] from nonconsenting employees. . . . This procedure violates the First Amendment and cannot continue.”

Consequently, public employees may decline to pay these private organizations without losing their jobs or employer-provided benefits.

It is important to know that AFSCME 33 may continue to automatically withhold dues from employees’ pay even if they never signed up for membership in the first place. The best way to ensure the deductions stop is to submit a request to the union in writing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens after I send my resignation to the union?

You should receive some acknowledgement of your request from the union within a few weeks.

Because it has a financial interest in continuing to withhold dues from your pay, the union may contact you and attempt to persuade you to keep your membership. Their sales pitch may include untrue claims and scare tactics. It is a good idea to try to document any questionable claims made by union representatives. Do not be bullied! If you stand your ground, there is nothing the union can do to retaliate against you for opting out.

Monitor your paychecks to make sure the dues deductions stop. Contact the union if the deductions continue for more than a couple of paychecks after you submit your resignation request.

Some unions have tricked employees into signing membership forms with fine print waiving their right to resign except during a short annual window period. If the union claims you signed such a form and therefore cannot cancel the dues deductions from your pay, ask to be provided with documentation that you ever signed such an agreement.

How much are AFSCME 33 dues?

According to federal filings, AFSCME 33 dues can range from a biweekly rate of $18.25 to $28. The maximum rate amounts to $728 per year.

Will the union continue to represent me if I opt out?

Yes. AFSCME 33 has been empowered by the state to represent those in your workplace. Employees are not allowed to negotiate their own compensation or handle their own grievances with their employer, nor can they hire another person or entity to represent them.

In exchange for this unusual benefit, AFSCME 33 is legally obligated to represent all employees in the workplace, including those who choose not to join the union as members.

Consequently, the collective bargaining agreement negotiated by the union and your employer will continue to set the terms and conditions of your employment, and the union will continue to represent you in grievances, contract enforcement, discipline assistance or other proceedings governed by the collective bargaining agreement.

Will I lose wages, health care, retirement, or other benefits if I opt out?

No. All provisions of the collective bargaining agreement between the union and your employer will continue to govern your employment. Your wages, health benefits, retirement, and anything else governed by the collective bargaining agreement will remain unchanged if you opt out of AFSCME 33.

How will my relationship with the union change if I opt out?

While the terms of the collective bargaining agreement will still govern your employment, as a nonmember, the union may choose to prevent you from participating in internal union affairs, such as attending union meetings or voting in union elections, including contract ratification votes. Unions also commonly withhold any special “members-only” deals or discounts that the union has arranged with businesses. You may no longer receive the union newsletter or similar publications.

Why do people opt out of the union?

People have many reasons for not wanting to support the union. Some simply do not believe the services the union provides are worth the dues it charges. Others may find the union’s one-size-fits-all agenda does not serve them well because they are new to the profession, have a specialty that is not acknowledged in bargaining, or believe their effectiveness is undercompensated. Some resent the union’s role in enabling and defending underperforming employees. Many find the union’s political activity and use of dues to advance partisan causes, candidates and ideology distasteful. Still others believe that union officials are corrupt and unaccountable to their membership.

Unions representing public employees are not governed by the usual consumer protection or anti-trust laws, so abuses are common. Unions can charge whatever they wish. They can spend dues money on anything they want. Often, they do not have to disclose how dues money is spent to members. They can speak for employees without consulting or informing them. They can injure some members’ interests while advancing the interests of others. Unions even have the ability to prevent employees from getting help in their workplace from other sources. They are not governed by any obligation to provide quality service, and almost never have to seek approval of the people they represent in an election to continue as the exclusive representative.

Sometimes people have a faith-based objection to unions’ expenditures on causes like abortion advocacy and attacks on values. Additionally, the core union philosophy of conflict, oath-breaking, disrespect, and greed can also be perceived as contrary to many religious beliefs. To learn more about the major public unions’ expenditures in light of common faith beliefs, click here.

How does the union spend my dues money?

AFSCME Council 33

According to reports that the union must file with the U.S. Department of Labor, AFSCME Council 33 collected $6.2 million in dues and fees from members and local affiliates in the fiscal year 2025.

In fiscal year 2025:

$4.5 million, nearly 73% of AFSCME 33’s total dues income, went to affiliated organizations like AFSCME headquarters to support their massive political, economic and social agendas. AFSCME HQ regularly supports a host of controversial organizations.
$415,482 was spent on political activity and lobbying.
$921,939 was spent on conferences, meetings, events, hotels, and catering.
$316,776 was spent on real estate taxes.
$2 million was spent on total disbursements for officers and employees.

AFSCME 33 paid 71 officers and employees in 2025, with 4 receiving six-figures compensation. AFSCME 33’s President, Gregory Boulware, received the highest total compensation of $300,558.

Additionally, AFSCME 33 spent $1.8 million over the total amount of receipts, resulting in a budget deficit. The union also reported having over $16.9 million in total liabilities.

AFSCME 33’s most recent LM-2 reports are available here: 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019.

Lastly, a portion of the dues paid by AFSCME Council 33 members goes to AFSCME HQ.

AFSCME HQ

According to federal filings that the union is required to submit to the U.S. Department of Labor, AFSCME HQ collected over $211 million from members and local affiliated unions in 2025.

In 2025 alone:

$44.7 million was spent by the AFSCME HQ on divisive political candidates, causes, and lobbying. This figure includes an expense of $500,000 to the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee.
$2.8 million was paid to or contributed to largely ideologically driven organizations.
$6.8 million was spent on union advertising, promotional items, printing services, and media firms.
$2.2 million was spent on conferences, meetings, events, and catering.
$5.5 million was spent on airfare, hotels, and travel.
$60.9 million was spent on total disbursements for officers and employees.

AFSCME HQ paid 519 officers and employees in 2025, with 307 receiving six-figures in compensation. The AFSCME HQ’s Federal Glove Director, Edwin Jayne, received the highest total compensation of $449,747.

AFSCME’s most recent LM-2 reports are available here: 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020.