Join Your Union

Top Ten Reasons to Join Your Union

10.	Job layoff/job elimination protection: we have “recall” rights, four weeks notification, and we are eligible for severance pay based on years of service.

9.	Short-term Disability Insurance: since AFSCME negotiated for it, you are eligible for 60% of your monthly salary to a maximum of $225/week for 26 weeks.

8.	The percentage you must contribute for your Healthcare may not be arbitrarily increased, but may only increase per the contract.

7.	Retirement contributions are guaranteed: employees contribute 4.5% and Temple contributes 8.5%.

6.	Dental Plan, Prescription Drug Plan, and Vision Care Plan are all guaranteed for bargaining unit employees.

5.	Raises are guaranteed; non-bargaining employee raises are not guaranteed.

4.	Job security – bargaining unit members may not be fired “at will,” unlike non-bargaining employees.

3.	Fairness and dignity in the workplace are guaranteed to bargaining unit members by the terms of Seniority in the contract -- your manager may not arbitrarily engage in patronage, promoting friends and overlooking you without cause.

2.	It is the right thing to do: all of the benefits that you are entitled to as an AFSCME member have been negotiated on your behalf by your union. All of the costs of contract negotiation and all of the costs of representation by your union should you ever need to file a grievance are covered by the dues-paying members of the union.

1.	Unions, including AFSCME, are responsible for many things all American workers now take for granted, such as a maximum hourly work week, overtime pay, weekends off, paid vacations, holidays, and sick days, healthcare benefits, retirement plans, paid maternity leave, etc.