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LiUNA 860

To opt out of LiUNA 860 dues:

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

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LiUNA 860 is the designated union for more than 4,000 workers employed by Cuyahoga county, the city of Cleveland Heights, Cleveland Public Library and other area cities.

For years, public employees in Ohio 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 LIUNA 860 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 more than a couple 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 LiUNA 860 dues?

According to federal filings, members pay 1.5% to 2.75% of their payroll in dues, with a minimum rate of $468 per year. LiUNA 860 also charges working dues equal to 3.5% of gross pay. In 2022, the average member paid $501 in dues.

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

Yes. LiUNA 860 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, LiUNA 860 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 LiUNA 860.

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 the union has arranged for 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 they 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 also can 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 LiUNA 860 spend my dues money?

LiUNA 860

LiUNA 860 collected $2.2 million in dues and fees from its members in calendar year 2022, according to reports the union must file with the U.S. Dept. of Labor.

In 2022 alone:

  • $981,732 went to the LiUNA headquarters in Washington, D.C., to support its massive political, economic and social agenda. LiUNA regularly supports a host of controversial organizations.
  • $153,342 was spent by LiUNA 860 on political activity and lobbying.
  • $63,180 was paid or contributed to largely ideological organizations.
  • $403,235 was spent on private attorneys and consulting services.
  • $112,588 was spent at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Sandusky, OH.

According to the 2022 report, LiUNA 860 paid 18 officers and employees, ten of whom were paid six figures. This includes business manager and secretary treasurer Anthony Liberatore who was paid $496,038. Additionally, the union reported a cash stockpile of $1.1 million.

LiUNA 860’s most recent LM-2 reports are available here: 2022, 20212020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016.

A portion of the dues paid by LiUNA 860 members goes to support Ohio Laborers’ District Council.

Ohio Laborers’ District Council

According to reports that must be submitted with the US Department of Labor, the Ohio Council collected $7.8 million in dues and fees from its members in 2022.

In 2022 alone:

  • $473,953 was spent by the Ohio Council on political activity and lobbying.
  • $68,267 was paid or contributed to largely ideological organizations.
  • $38,636 on travel, hotel venues and meetings.
  • $114,000 was spent on private attorneys and legal fees.

The Ohio Council paid 15 employees in 2022, four of whom were paid six figures. Business manager and secretary treasurer Ralph Cole was paid $416,395.

The Ohio Council’s most recent LM-2 reports are available here: 2022, 20212020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016.

A portion of the dues paid by LiUNA 860 members also goes to support the District Eight Regional Organizing Committee.

(District Eight) Regional Organizing Committee

According to federal filings that the union must submit to the US Department of Labor, the Regional Organizing Committee collected $4.9 million in dues and fees from its members in fiscal year 2022.

In that year alone:

  • $25,000 was paid or contributed to largely ideological organizations.
  • $12,621 was spent on airfare, travel and hotel venues.
  • $56,694 was spent on private attorneys and consultants.

The Regional Organizing Committee paid 27 employees in 2022, fourteen of whom were paid six figures. Director Matthew MacLellan was paid $187,433.

The Regional Organizing Committee’s most recent LM-2 reports are available here: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016.

Lastly, a portion of the dues paid by these LiUNA members goes to support LiUNA’s international headquarters in Washington, D.C.

LIUNA Headquarters

The LIUNA headquarters collected $95.4 million from local affiliated unions in 2022.

  • $12.5 million was spent on divisive political candidates, causes and lobbying.
  • $2.7 million was paid or contributed to largely ideological organizations.
  • $1.8 million was spent on airfare, hotels and travel, including over $1 million at the Hilton in San Diego.
  • $2.5 million was spent on private attorneys and consultants.

The LIUNA headquarters paid 238 employees in 2022, 131 of whom were paid six figures. LIUNA general president Terence O’Sullivan was paid $848,072.

LIUNA Headquarters’ most recent LM-2 reports are available here: 2022, 20212020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016.

Union officials are also required to file reports with the Dept. of Labor disclosing potential conflicts of interest related to LIUNA’s business dealings:

  • General president Terence O’Sullivan has regularly filed LM-30 reports disclosing that he serves on the board of directors of Ullico, Inc., a company that provides insurance, financial services, and administrative products to LIUNA. In 2022, he received compensation from Ullico amounting to $78,835.
  • Vice president Jon Davis has regularly filed LM-30 reportsdisclosing that he serves on the board of directors of BayCom Corp., which provides commercial banking services to LIUNA. In 2022, he received compensation from BayCom amounting to $17,000.