The Canadian Association of Professional Employees is examining its dues structure over the next several months in the hopes of making it a fairer and more equitable system for everyone; we want to know what you think. We're a democratic organization: you get to decide!
The current system
Currently, all CAPE members pay $48 per month, regardless of their income. This means entry-level employees pay a far greater proportion of their income in dues than higher-ups.
As you can see, the heaviest burden falls on employees in the lower salary levels; we think that a progressive dues structure would make our union fairer for everyone.
You’re in the driver’s seat
We’re a democratic organization: you get to decide. CAPE will welcome everyone to a special general meeting on February 25 to discuss and debate the options. If you’d like to have the same debate in your workplace, we’re more than happy to make this happen for you. These discussions will guide us in choosing an option, which we’ll take back to the membership for a final vote by the end of June.
The options for your consideration:
Would my dues go up or down?
Real-life applications
How would dues be calculated?
Dues would be calculated based on the first increment of your salary scale. For example, dues paid by an AN-02 (LoP) at the fourth increment ($85,787) would be calculated based on first increment of the AN-02 salary (x% of $73,531).
Is this a dues increase?
Some members would see their dues increase while others would see theirs decrease. The aim is to make the system fairer for everyone as a proportion of income. This proposal is simply a revenue-neutral change in our dues structure.
How does this compare to other unions?
Many other unions, such as the Association of Justice Counsels and the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers already have progressive dues structures; each employee pays the same proportion of their salary (i.e. option 3, but at higher rates). Given their complex structure, members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada pay varying rate depending on which component and local they belong to. By contrast, the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada has a flat-fee system similar to CAPE’s current dues structure.
Join the conversation!
As a member, your voice not only matters, it can influence which option we choose. If you’d like to attend the February 25 special general meeting in Ottawa, please contact us at rsvp @acep-cape.ca or call us at 613-236-9181 or 1-800-265-9181. If you live outside the National Capital Region, stay tuned: we’ll announce ways for you to participate shortly.
