To opt out of AFSCME Local 1644 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.
*Please note: If you are currently paying AFSCME Local 1644 dues via automatic credit card or Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) payments from your bank, you should also contact your bank directly to stop the payments.
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1644 is a union of approximately 1,000 public employees in Georgia – primarily those working for the City of Atlanta, Fulton County, or Atlanta Public Schools.
Those who object to paying AFSCME Local 1644 dues should know that Georgia 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 AFSCME Local 1644 dues by filling out the form above, printing it and mailing it to the union.
*Please note: If you are currently paying AFSCME Local 1644 dues via automatic credit card or Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) payments from your bank, you should also contact your bank directly to stop the payments.
Frequently Asked Questions
The process for ending dues payments to AFSCME Local 1644 may differ depending on which method of payment you are currently using. For example, if you are currently paying AFSCME Local 1644 dues via automatic credit card or Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) payments from your bank, you should be able to contact your bank directly to stop the payments – you do not need to wait for AFSCME Local 1644 to confirm receipt of your opt-out request.
However, it’s a good idea to send your opt-out form to the union anyway. You should receive some acknowledgement of your request from AFSCME Local 1644 within a few weeks.
According to federal filings, AFSCME Local 1644 dues can be as high as $38 per month, or $456 per year.
No. Your employer – not the union – is responsible for the terms and conditions of your employment. Your compensation, health benefits, retirement, and anything else provided by the district will remain unchanged if you opt out of AFSCME Local 1644.
While the terms of your employment will remain unchanged, AFSCME Local 1644 will no longer permit you to participate in union affairs, such as attending union meetings or voting for union officers. 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. 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.
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.
AFSCME Local 1644 is a private organization with minimal obligations to disclose financial information to members.
However, the IRS requires unions’ 990 tax return to be a public document, and these can be found online at sites like this. AFSCME Local 1644 reports using the Employer Identification Number (EIN) 58-1167844. Here is their most recent filing
Additionally, AFSCME Local 1644 is required to file annual financial reports with the U.S. Department of Labor that provide more detailed information about the union’s finances, including how much it spends on certain political and lobbying activities. The most recent report filed by AFSCME Local 1644 is available here.