LifeLabs managers talk a lot about OPSEU’s membership dues. But the story they’re telling you has some serious holes in it.

For one thing, they neglect to tell you that OPSEU dues are tax deductible. That means they’ll only cost you two-thirds of the sticker price.

It’s a significant savings on a membership that guarantees you a real voice in your workplace, on your wages, and on your working conditions.

Here’s the real story about dues

OPSEU members set their dues democratically. They are among the most affordable dues in Canada: just 1.375 per cent of your wage, and have been fordecades.

But they actually cost you even less than that. A third less. Here’s how:

If you make $50,000 a year, Lifelabs will deduct $26.44 from each pay and transfer it to OPSEU. That’s $687.50 over the course of the year.

But since those dues are tax deductible, you’ll pay $241 less income tax, meaning your union dues only cost $446.50*.

That’s just $17.17 a paycheque. $1.71 per working day — a pretty good deal for better wages that grow every year, a real say in the workplace, a formal grievance process, and much better job security.

And don’t forget: your dues don’t just disappear. They work for you.

All of your dues go into giving you and your co-workers a stronger voice and more power.

And a significant portion of your dues go right back to your local. You and your co-workers decide how to spend them, whether it’s on food for meetings, or special events (like a holiday dinner or family summer picnic), or a campaign to address an issue important to your local.

*Here’s the calculation: The income tax on $50,000 is $11,021. But if you invest $687.50 in OPSEU dues, your taxable income falls to $49,312.50, which means your tax falls $10,780, a $241 savings. It’s a 33 per cent rebate.