USW Locals Resolve to Pay First-Year Membership Into SOAR

I Hope Some Local Unions Reconsider Their Policy

It’s a shame that we no longer have bulletin boards to post meeting dates and such to communicate with our chapter members. However, we do have the internet and a Facebook page for those who use a computer. Our SOAR in Action magazine also help to get information to our members by letting them know about serious legislation affecting workers and retirees. We also have this newsletter which gets posted to the Steelworker website for easy access.

That’s why it’s so hard for me to understand why many local unions don’t go by the intent of their resolve to provide the whopping first-year membership dues of twelve dollars for a retiree to be a member of a chapter; but, instead make the retiree go through hoops to get this meager retirement gift.

I’ve run across local union presidents that say such things as:

• “Oh yeah, we’ll provide the first-year membership dues by reimbursing the retiree when he joins the chapter.”
• “We’ll provide the first-year membership dues if the retiree attends the chapter meetings.”
• “We’ll provide the first-year membership dues if the retiree comes in to our office and asks us.”
• “We’ll provide the first-year membership dues if the retiree signs for his dues check off with the company.”

What they don’t seem to understand is that retirees get older each year. They become less mobile, they can’t always walk distances required for marches, and may not be able to stand for long lengths of time.  Gosh, many are in nursing homes or being cared for by a loved one or others. But, by golly, sometimes they are still able to write a letter, make a phone call, sign a postcard and vote in elections.

I’m so grateful that the two local unions sponsoring my own chapter (USW Locals 12775 and 13796) provide the first-year membership dues for their retirees and have done so for the past twenty years without any “ifs, ands, butts, or catches.” There is no need to join the chapter and then get reimbursed; no requirement to attend the chapter meeting (heck, we have members residing in twenty different states); no need to go to the local union office and ask them to provide the first-year membership; no need to sign a dues check off card. 

These retirees devoted their working lives to our union by paying dues for each hour they worked and faithfully supported their local union. I trust they will continue to help the union in any way possible. This is simply a reminder to local unions who read this that a retirement party is nice, a wrist watch is thoughtful, but a membership in a SOAR chapter is truly the gift that will keep on giving back to the union. SOAR is not only how retirees stay connected, but how they continue the fight for retired and working families, by helping to defend vital programs like Social Security and Medicare. 

Charlie