IBT - International Brotherhood of Teamsters Paying union dues is an unavoidable fact. The Teamsters get their cut of your paycheck and are free to do what they want with those funds without your approval. Here are some facts about dues from the Teamster's website: FACT: Teamster Union dues average two-and-one-half times the hourly wage rate. For example, if you make $10 an hour, dues are approximately $25 per month. FACT: Initiation fees may or may not be charged depending upon the bylaws of the local union. The Teamsters stand to gain a lot by organizing ABX. With 5,000 employees paying dues for every week for three years, that money can really add up. That's what the organizing drive means to the Teamsters. But what would that mean to you? By entering some simple information, you can see what you might be giving the Teamsters over the life of a 3-year contract. Remember, unions can only get what ABX is willing to give: Complete the statements in this column and click Your Calculated Dues with the IBT My Hourly Wages are: $ (no dollar signs or commas please) $Union Dues Per Month That adds up to $ a year! And when you add up the average salaries and dues paid by approximately 5000 members and related employees, IBT stands to gain an estimated whopping $ every year! Over the life of a 3-year contract, IBT could collect an estimated $ from you and the other members! What could you do with 3 years' worth of dues money if you didn't give it to the IBT? Well, you could buy: New 20" color televisions Dinners out Nights of babysitting Pizzas Months of Internet access Weeks worth of groceries Boxes of Macaroni and Cheese Or this money could be invested in the savings plan of your choosing for a new car, home, your retirement or your child's education. So, even if you didn't invest the money that you might have given to IBT, you can see what that money might be worth. Are the claims that IBT is making worth the loss of income as well as the risk involved in joining a union?