Make no mistake. Unions are big business, so much so that each year labor unions are required to file a financial statement with the U.S. Department of Labor. This statement is known as an "LM-2." HERE is the most recent financial report filed by the APWU.

Between January 2004 and December 2004, the APWU 's LM-2 showed that this union collected more than $144 million in total cash receipts, including more than $45 million in dues and fees.

Much of that money went to pay the salaries of union bosses and officials who spin the wheels of their big bureaucracies. Remember that unions are businesses. They survive primarily on dues from hard-working employees.

What do the real numbers look like?
To see the real dollars from the APWU's financial statement, simply move your cursor over the word "Disbursements" or the word "Receipts."

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Click on any section of the pie chart to see the detailed expenditures for that category.

The APWU probably hasn't shown you these figures. Even APWU members might be shocked to learn that theirs is a union that thinks nothing of paying many of its representatives $100,000 a year or more in salary and expenses.

How much of this could come right out of your pocket?
	Find out how much your union dues could be with the Dues Calculator. After you see how quickly your dues can add up, take it one step further with the Investment Calculator. Discover just how much you could have earned if you'd invested your money instead of paying dues with it.