To opt out of NAPE 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.
The Nebraska Association of Public Employees (NAPE)/AFSCME Local 61 is the designated union for approximately 8,000 state employees in Nebraska, along with some county employees.
Those who find themselves in a union-represented workplace should know that Nebraska law has long protected public employees from being forced to financially support a union against their will. Furthermore, the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 decision in Janus v. AFSCME reaffirmed that all public employees have a constitutional right to choose for themselves whether to pay any union dues or fees.
You can opt out of NAPE dues by filling out the form above, printing it and mailing it to NAPE.
Frequently Asked Questions
You should receive some acknowledgement of your request from the union within a few weeks.
In most cases, union dues are automatically deducted from employees’ paychecks. Monitor your paychecks to make sure the dues deductions stop. If the deductions continue for more than a couple pay periods after submitting your opt-out request, contact the union.
Finally, keep in mind:
Opting out is your constitutional right. However, unions like NAPE sometimes place restrictions on when they will accept opt-out requests. If the union refuses to immediately cancel dues deductions from your pay, ask them to provide you with written documentation and contact us for assistance
According to the union’s website, NAPE dues are 1.25% of base salary. The average member pays $18.50 per paycheck.
NAPE has arranged to be the “exclusive representative” of its bargaining units, meaning it is impossible for workers to get out of the terms of the contract, even if they cease paying dues.
The collective bargaining agreement negotiated by the union and your employer will continue to set the terms and conditions of your employment, and NAPE is legally obligated to enforce the contract on behalf of all employees, including those who choose not to join the union as members.
However, keep in mind:
Although NAPE will continue to negotiate and enforce the collective bargaining agreement on your behalf, Nebraska law allows unions to require non-members to pay for their “pro rata share of the actual legal fees and court costs” of union representation during grievances and other legal proceedings.
No. Under state law, a union contract is binding on all employees in a bargaining unit, regardless of whether they are technically union “members.” Your compensation, health benefits, and anything else governed by the collective bargaining agreement will remain unchanged if you opt out of NAPE. Meanwhile, your retirement plan is not subject to collective bargaining – this is set by the state and will also be unaffected if you opt out of NAPE.
While the terms of the contract will still govern your employment, union officials commonly prohibit nonmembers from participating in internal union affairs, such as attending union meetings, voting for union officers or participating in contract ratification votes. You’ll also be ineligible for any special “members only” benefits, such as discounts on additional insurance, scholarship programs, or deals the union has arranged with businesses. You may no longer receive the union newsletter or similar publications.
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.
Many unions allow opt outs at various times throughout the year. However, in their union membership contracts, a number of unions have stipulated certain times during the year (“windows”) when they will allow or process opt-out requests.
NAPE has specified an opt-out window ranging from June 1st to the 30th. Although this is the timeframe that the union has specified for processing opt-outs, you can certainly fill-out an opt-out request at Opt Out Today any time throughout the year.
Nebraska Association of Public Employees (NAPE)
According to reports the union must file with the IRS, NAPE collected $887,543 from its members in fiscal year 2022.
In 2022 alone:
- $282,500 went to affiliated organizations, including AFSCME International, based in Washington, D.C., to support its massive political, economic and social agenda. AFSCME International regularly supports controversial organizations.
- $23,300 was spent by NAPE on political lobbying.
- $13,800 was spent on private attorneys.
- $65,711 went towards union meetings and conferences.
NAPE listed 30 officers and employees for calendar year 2022. Executive director Justin Hubly received $97,164.
Also, as of mid-2022, NAPE holds a cash stockpile of more than $295,000.
NAPE’s most recent IRS 990 reports are available here.
A portion of the dues paid by NAPE members also goes to AFSCME International, headquartered in Washington, D.C.
AFSCME International
According to federal filings that the union must submit with the US Department of Labor, AFSCME collected $177 million from its members nationwide in 2022.
In that year alone:
- $60 million was spent by AFSCME on divisive political candidates, causes and lobbying. This included $200,000 paid to the far left organization Action for Liberation and $15,200 of campaign support for Stacey Abrams, a radical left political figure in Georgia.
- $3.6 million was paid or contributed to largely ideological organizations. This includes $100,000 donated to the Center For American Progress Action Fund, a left-wing organization that promotes radical social and economic policies.
- $3.3 million was spent on airfare, hotels and travel for union staff.
- $976,875 was spent on attorneys and legal fees.
- $193,310 was spent on food and catering.
AFSCME paid 486 employees in 2022, 224 of whom were paid six figures. AFSCME’s international president, Lee Saunders, was paid $384,155.
AFSCME’s most recent LM-2 reports are available here: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016.