Teamsters 572

To opt out of Teamsters 572 dues:

Enter your information into the form below and click “submit.”
On the resulting page, click the link to open your customized form. You will also receive an email with a link to your form.
Print the form. If you check the appropriate box about needing a printed version, we’ll mail you a copy of the form.
Sign and date the form.
Mail the completed form to the address at the top of the form. We highly recommend sending it via certified mail.

Teamsters 572 is the designated union for LA Unified School District Classified Supervisors and some school bus drivers in other districts, representing over 10,000 workers.

For years, public employees in California have been forced to pay union dues as a condition of employment, allowing unions to take their members for granted. However, the U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that public employees can no longer be required to financially support a labor union against their will. Janus v. AFSCME, 585 US (2018)

The decision found,

“The First Amendment is violated when money is taken from nonconsenting employees for a public-sector union; employees must choose to support the union before anything is taken from them. Accordingly, neither an agency fee nor any other form of payment to a public-sector union may be deducted from an employee, nor may any other attempt be made to collect such a payment, unless the employee affirmatively consents to pay.”

Consequently, public employees may decline to pay these private organizations without losing their jobs or employer-provided benefits.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens after I send my resignation to the union?

You should receive an acknowledgement of your request from the union within a few weeks.

Because it has a financial interest in continuing to withhold dues from your pay, the union may contact you and attempt to persuade you to keep your membership. Their sales pitch may include untrue claims and scare tactics. It is a good idea to try to document any questionable claims made by union representatives. Do not be bullied! If you stand your ground, there is nothing the union can do to retaliate against you for opting out.

Monitor your paychecks to make sure the dues deductions stop. Contact the union if the deductions continue more than a paycheck or two after you submit your resignation request.

How much are Teamsters 572 dues?

According to federal filings, Teamsters 572 dues range from $221 to $1,716 per year. New members are also charged an initiation fee as much as $1,320. In 2022, the average member paid $600 in dues and fees.

Will the union continue to represent me if I opt out?

Yes. Teamsters 572 has been empowered by the state to represent those in your workplace. Employees are not allowed to negotiate their own compensation or handle their own grievances with their employer, nor can they hire another person or entity to represent them.

In exchange for this unusual benefit, Teamsters 572 is legally obligated to represent all employees in the workplace, including those who choose not to join the union as members.

Consequently, the collective bargaining agreement negotiated by the union and your employer will continue to set the terms and conditions of your employment and the union will continue to represent you in grievances, contract enforcement, discipline assistance or other proceedings governed by the collective bargaining agreement.

Will I lose wages, health care, retirement or other benefits if I opt out?

No. All provisions of the collective bargaining agreement between the union and your employer will continue to govern your employment. Your wages, health benefits, retirement and anything else governed by the collective bargaining agreement will remain unchanged if you opt out of Teamsters 572.

How will my relationship with the union change if I opt out?

While the terms of the collective bargaining agreement will still govern your employment, as a nonmember, the union may choose to prevent you from participating in internal union affairs, such as attending union meetings or voting in union elections, including contract ratification votes. Unions also commonly withhold any special “members-only” deals or discounts the union has arranged for with businesses. You may no longer receive the union newsletter or similar publications.

Why do people opt out of the union?

People have many reasons for not wanting to support the union. Some simply do not believe the services the union provides are worth the dues it charges. Others may find the union’s one-size-fits-all agenda does not serve them well because they are new to the profession, have a specialty that is not acknowledged in bargaining, or they believe their effectiveness is undercompensated. Some resent the union’s role in enabling and defending underperforming employees. Many find the union’s political activity and use of dues to advance partisan causes, candidates and ideology distasteful. Still others believe that union officials are corrupt and unaccountable to their membership.

Unions representing public employees are not governed by the usual consumer protection or anti-trust laws, so abuses are common. Unions can charge whatever they wish. They can spend dues money on anything they want. Often, they do not have to disclose how dues money is spent to members. They can speak for employees without consulting or informing them. They can injure some members’ interests while advancing the interests of others. Unions even have the ability to prevent employees from getting help in their workplace from other sources. They are not governed by any obligation to provide quality service, and almost never have to seek approval of the people they represent in an election to continue as the exclusive representative.

Sometimes people have a faith-based objection to unions’ expenditures. To learn more about some of the major public unions’ expenditures in light of common faith beliefs, click here.

How does Teamsters 572 spend my dues money?

Teamsters Local 572

Teamsters 572 collected $6.3 million in dues and fees from its members in calendar year 2022, according to reports the union must file with the U.S. Dept. of Labor.

In 2022 alone:

$1.7 million went to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters headquarters in Washington, D.C., to support its massive political, economic and social agenda. The IBT regularly supports a host of controversial organizations.
$13,232 was spent by Teamsters 572 on political activity and lobbying.
$316,989 was paid or contributed to largely ideological organizations.
$119,103 was spent on private attorneys and consultants.

Teamsters 572 paid 24 officers and employees in 2022, 12 of whom were paid six figures. Teamsters 572 president and general counsel Lourdes Garcia was paid $250,693.

Additionally, by the end of 2022, Teamsters 572’s cash reserves had grown to $3.4 million.

Teamsters 572’s most recent LM-2 reports are available here: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016.

A portion of the dues paid by Teamsters 572 members goes to support Teamsters Joint Council 42.

Teamsters Joint Council 42

Teamsters Joint Council 42 collected $3.3 million in dues and fees from its members in 2022.

In 2022 alone:

$111,003 was spent by Teamsters Joint Council 42 on political activity and lobbying.
$239,748 was spent on airfare, hotels and travel for union staff. This includes $80,000 on meetings at the Palms Casino Resort, a 4-star establishment in Las Vegas.
$138,159 was spent on private attorneys.

Teamsters Joint Council 42 paid 16 officers and employees in 2020, three of whom were paid six figures. Assistant to the president Paul Mihalow was paid $160,645. The president of Joint Council 42, Randy Cammack, received $122,372 on top of the $331,595 that he received as secretary treasurer of Teamsters Local 63, making his total compensation $453,967 in 2022.

Teamsters Joint Council 42’s most recent LM-2 reports are available here: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016.

Lastly, a portion of the dues paid by Teamsters 1932 members also goes to support the national headquarters of Teamsters.

International Brotherhood of Teamsters

The IBT headquarters collected $193 million from local affiliated unions in 2022.

In 2022 alone:

$9 million was spent by IBT on divisive political candidates, causes and lobbying.
$1.9 million was paid or contributed to largely ideological organizations.
$6 million was spent on airfare, hotels and travel for union staff. This figure includes a $155,000 expense at the MGM Resort in Los Angeles.
$3.1 million was spent on private attorneys and consultants.

IBT paid 766 employees in 2022, 189 of whom were paid six figures. Teamsters general president Sean O’Brien was paid $350,145.

IBT’s most recent LM-2 reports are available here: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016.