How Dues Work in Union OS: A Modern System for Transparent Payments and Remittances
Union dues are the financial backbone of every labor organization. They power everything from bargaining and legal representation to member services and training. But dues aren’t just about collecting money — they’re about fairness, accuracy, accountability, and trust.
That’s why Union OS was built from the ground up to modernize every part of the dues process — not just for members, but also for union administrators and employers. At the center of this system is a powerful integration between dues tracking and remittance processing, ensuring that the entire payment chain — from the member to the employer to the union’s books — is clear, automated, and auditable.
In this post, we’ll break down exactly how dues work in Union OS: from how they're calculated and collected to how remittances are submitted, matched, and reconciled — all with minimal manual work.
Why Dues Management Is So Complex — and So Critical
If you're a union administrator, you know that dues management isn’t just a matter of “charging members once a month.” It's an evolving system shaped by:
-
Collective agreement rules (percentages, flat fees, per hour worked)
-
Changing member statuses (apprentice, retired, LOA, suspended)
-
Employer reporting cycles
-
Manual overrides or adjustments
-
Trust accounting requirements
Most unions manage dues across spreadsheets, PDFs, bank statements, and email chains. This causes:
-
Late or missing payments
-
Disputes between members and employers
-
Errors in grievance eligibility or job dispatch
-
Hours of admin time lost to reconciliation
Union OS fixes this by making dues a first-class system, fully linked to remittances, member profiles, employers, and finance records.
The Foundation: How Union OS Tracks Dues Obligations
Every dues record in Union OS is built on three layers of logic:
1. CBA-Based Dues Rules
Union OS encodes the dues rules directly from your collective agreement(s). Whether dues are a flat monthly fee, a percent of wages, or calculated per hour worked, you can set:
-
Amount type (fixed, variable, hourly, percentage)
-
Who pays (member, employer, hybrid)
-
When it’s due (on payday, monthly, quarterly)
-
Exceptions or overrides (e.g., “No dues while on apprenticeship”)
This logic sits at the core of how dues are calculated for each member-employer pairing.
2. Dynamic Member Profiles
Union OS tracks each member’s status (active, retired, LOA), employer affiliation, job classification, and jurisdiction. Dues calculations change automatically when member status changes.
For example:
-
A member going on LOA is paused
-
An apprentice shifts to a different dues tier
-
A terminated member stops accruing obligations
No more manually adjusting spreadsheets — it all flows automatically.
3. Real-Time Dues Ledger
Each member has a continuously updated dues ledger that shows:
-
What’s been charged (per contract, per pay cycle)
-
What’s been paid (via remittance, direct payment, or union override)
-
What’s overdue or disputed
-
Linked remittance IDs (for tracking employer submissions)
This ledger is visible to union admins and can optionally be viewed by members via the portal — bringing unprecedented transparency.
How Remittances Power the Dues System
Dues obligations are one half of the equation — remittances are the other.
A remittance is the formal submission of dues (and often benefit or training fund payments) from the employer to the union. In Union OS, remittances are deeply connected to dues — not separate from them.
Remittance Workflow in Union OS
-
Employer Logs In: Using the Employer Portal, an employer selects the reporting period.
-
Member Roster Pulled: The system pulls the list of members employed during that period.
-
Dues Calculated Automatically: Based on each member’s classification, hours, and dues rule, the total is calculated.
-
Employer Edits or Confirms: They can adjust hours, upload reports, or note exceptions (e.g., “No work available”).
-
Submission Confirmed: Employer hits “Submit” and receives a submission receipt.
-
Union Review (Optional): Admins can review remittances before they’re finalized.
-
Automated Matching: The system cross-checks each submitted dues payment with the member’s ledger.
Smart Reconciliation: No More Manual Matching
Here’s where the real magic happens.
In most unions today, reconciling dues involves a finance team member squinting at PDFs or spreadsheets, manually cross-checking payments line-by-line. It’s exhausting — and prone to error.
Union OS automates this.
-
Every remittance line item is matched to dues obligations in real time
-
Overpayments and underpayments are flagged
-
Payment history is logged against both the member and the employer
-
You can search by member, date, remittance ID, employer, or status
Discrepancies don’t slip through — they’re surfaced immediately and can be resolved collaboratively.
Real-World Example: Member Dues & Employer Remittance in Action
Let’s walk through a real example:
Scenario:
Kadant Carmanah Design remits monthly dues for 52 members.
-
The CBA requires $78/month per member.
-
One member was on leave for the full month.
-
One new hire joined mid-month.
Step 1: Obligation Calculation
Union OS tracks:
Expected total: $3,939
Step 2: Employer Submission
The employer submits a remittance for $3,939 with the roster and hours.
Step 3: System Matching
Union OS logs:
-
All 52 line items matched
-
Ledger for each member updated
-
Admin notified of successful match
Step 4: Member Visibility
Each member sees a “Dues Processed” email and their portal ledger reflects their balance as paid.
What If Something Goes Wrong?
Union OS includes fail-safes and notifications for common remittance issues.
1. Missing Remittance
If an employer fails to submit:
-
The system flags the missing remittance
-
Sends an alert to union admins
-
Can optionally notify the employer via email
2. Underpayment or Mismatch
If the amount submitted doesn’t match the expected total:
-
System calculates the variance
-
Logs it in the employer record
-
Flags the issue in the reconciliation screen
-
Sends alerts if the discrepancy exceeds thresholds
3. Missing Members
If an expected member isn’t included in the remittance:
Dues Reporting, Audits, and Oversight
With dues and remittances fully integrated, reporting becomes effortless.
Union OS offers:
-
Member-level payment histories
-
Employer remittance history and compliance reports
-
Monthly, quarterly, and annual dues collection summaries
-
Exportable reports for audits, trustees, or legal needs
You can filter by:
Everything is traceable, exportable, and secure.
Communications Built In
Union OS goes beyond numbers — it ensures the right people are notified at the right time.
Automated Member Emails:
Admin Alerts:
Employer Notifications:
This keeps everyone on the same page — without overwhelming your staff.
Customization and Flexibility
Not all unions handle dues the same way. Union OS supports:
-
Multiple remittance periods (weekly, biweekly, monthly)
-
Multiple collection models (employer-paid, member-paid, split)
-
Different rules per employer group
-
Manual dues adjustments (e.g., waivers, union-financed leave)
-
Bulk imports and overrides
You’re not forced into a rigid system — the platform adapts to how your union operates.
Member Transparency and Trust
When members don’t understand their dues — or think something’s wrong — it affects trust. Union OS fixes this by making every part of the process visible and explainable.
In the Member Portal, members can:
-
See their dues ledger
-
Understand what they owe and why
-
View remittance history (if paid through employer)
-
Get alerts when payments are processed or overdue
The result? Fewer angry phone calls, fewer misunderstandings, and more confidence in the union.
What Makes Union OS Different?
Here’s what sets Union OS apart from generic accounting software or DIY spreadsheets:
-
Built specifically for union logic and dues rules
-
Integrated remittance, ledger, and employer submissions
-
Role-based access for locals, finance, and executive teams
-
Real-time alerts and error handling
-
Secure audit logs and detailed reporting
You’re not duct-taping tools together — you’re using one system where dues and remittances talk to each other.
What’s Coming Next
We’re actively building the next evolution of dues and remittance tools:
-
Automated employer ACH tracking to verify bank payments
-
Multi-union employer dashboards for companies with multiple CBAs
-
Member self-pay interface for unions without employer deduction
-
Ledger notes and tags for complex exceptions
-
Graphical dashboards for executive summaries
As always, we’re listening to our union partners and building what’s most useful.
Final Thoughts: Trust Starts with the Books
Dues are more than dollars. They’re the financial proof of solidarity — and the foundation of a strong, respected union. But dues only work when everyone involved — members, employers, and admins — trusts the system.
Union OS gives you the tools to build that trust.
It makes dues automatic, visible, and error-resistant. It connects remittances directly to the member ledger. And it empowers unions to spend less time chasing payments and more time delivering value.
Ready to simplify dues and remittances for your union?
Book a demo →
FAQ
Q: How does Union OS calculate member dues?
Dues are calculated based on your collective agreement logic, including member classification, employer group, and pay frequency.
Q: Can employers submit remittances through Union OS?
Yes. Employers submit dues remittances through the Employer Portal, which automatically matches submissions to member ledgers.
Q: How are payment discrepancies handled?
Union OS flags underpayments, overpayments, or missing members automatically and alerts admins for resolution.