18 August, 2014

Dear Sir,

I am a hotel worker at Rosewood Tuckers Point and I along with some of the unionised members are not too happy about the [dues] increase. I went to a membership meeting and the subject came up about the increase in the union dues. The Union heads proposed to us an increase from $12.00 to $12.50. The members mumbled among themselves, but a member said that if you add it up it’s not too bad.

We were shocked to see on the back of our payslips that a decision was made by the Delegates for the increase [to $14]. What happened to giving the members notice to have a meeting for the proposal of the $2.00 increase? What happened to our input?

Our employers are paying us to pay the union. If our employers made a decision without consulting the union then all hell would break loose, like the march in February.

I along with the BIU Member who sent the letter to you about the Union increase am in agreement. I am on a wage freeze and our paychecks are going back to the 1980s, while the prices are going up around us.

The delegates should go back to the table to try to figure out a way where we are all balanced, and have a mandatory meeting with all union members about this. If not the BIU membership will go down even more.

I am not in favour of leaving the membership, I am in favour of removing the people who make these bad decisions.

BIU Member