To opt out of Teamsters 7 dues:
- Enter your information into the form below and click “submit.”
- On the next 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 below, we’ll mail you a copy of the form.
- Sign and date the form.
- Mail the completed form to the Teamsters at the address at the top of the form. We highly recommend sending it via certified mail.
Teamsters Joint Council 7 represents more than 100,000 workers in 48 counties in California and other municipalities.
For years, public employees in California were required to pay union dues to the Teamsters as a condition of employment and the state, city or county automatically deducted union dues from workers’ paychecks.
However, because of the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in Janus v. AFSCME (2018), public employees can now demand that the Teamsters cease withholding union dues/fees from their paychecks.
The court ruled that the mandatory dues requirement violated workers’ First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and association, and that public employees have the right to choose for themselves whether to pay any union dues or fees.
You can opt out of Teamsters dues by filling out the form provided, printing it and mailing it to your Teamsters Joint Council.
Frequently Asked Questions
Completing the form above will generate a letter you can send to your Teamsters Joint Council to resign your formal union membership and cease paying dues.
Send a signed copy of your letter to:
Dave Hawley, President
Teamsters Joint Council 7
250 Executive Park Blvd., Suite 3100
San Francisco, CA 94134-3392
We highly recommend sending the letter via certified mail so you have proof of delivery. You may also want to send a copy of your letter to your local Teamsters president. Keep a copy of the letter and your certified mail receipt for your reference.
According to federal filings, Teamsters Joint Council 7’s revenue comes from a per member tax of local affiliates. Local dues typically range from several hundred to over $1,000 per year.
Yes. Teamsters has arranged to be the “exclusive representative” of your bargaining unit, meaning it is impossible for workers to get out of the terms of the contract, even if they cease paying dues.
No. Under state law, the union contract is binding on all employees in your bargaining unit, regardless of whether they are technically union “members.” Your compensation, benefits and conditions of employment are all set by the contract and will remain unchanged regardless of whether you are technically a union member and regardless of whether you choose to pay union dues.
The union has been recognized by the state as the “exclusive representative” of all members of the bargaining unit, whether formal union members or not. In return for the monopoly on this particular service, unions have a corresponding legal duty to provide fair representation.
While the terms of the contract 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 with businesses. You may no longer receive the union newsletter or similar publications.
Teamsters Joint Council 7
Teamsters Joint Council 7 collected $3.2 million from its members in 2022.
In 2022 alone:
- $239,389 was spent by Joint Council 57 on political activity and lobbying.
- $337,361 was paid or contributed to largely ideological organizations.
- $177,070 was spent on hotels and travel expenses.
- $964,813 was spent on private attorneys and consultants.
Joint Council 7 paid 17 and employees in 2022, two of whom were paid six figures. Joint Council 7’s political director, Doug Bloch, was paid $198,697.
Joint Council 7’s most recent LM-2 reports are available here: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016.
Lastly, a portion of the dues paid by Teamsters 150 members also goes to support the international headquarters of Teamsters.
International Brotherhood of Teamsters
The IBT headquarters collected $193 million from local affiliated unions in 2022.
In 2022 alone:
- $9 million was spent by IBT on divisive political candidates, causes and lobbying.
- $1.9 million was paid or contributed to largely ideological organizations.
- $6 million was spent on airfare, hotels and travel for union staff. This figure includes a $155,000 expense at the MGM Resort in Los Angeles.
- $3.1 million was spent on private attorneys and consultants.
IBT paid 766 employees in 2022, 189 of whom were paid six figures. Teamsters general president Sean O’Brien was paid $350,145.
IBT’s most recent LM-2 reports are available here: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016.