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Will You Be Self-Serve Or Full Service?

Dues paying members enjoy the benefit and insurance of free and full representation when and if they need it. Should the situation arise where an employee needs representation, that representation costs. The union can only do so much for non-dues paying members. The union has no duty to represent non-dues paying members in statutory appeal procedures. Non-dues paying members are not entitled to representation in cases before the Merit System Protection Board, the Department of Labor, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Office of Personnel Management. (See the chart below for a comparison of representation costs for dues paying versus non-dues paying members of the bargaining unit.)

	Full Service For Union Members (dues paying members of the bargaining unit in good standing)	Self Serve For Non-Dues Paying Members of the Bargaining Unit
Merit Systems Protection Board review of suspension of more than 14 days	No Cost	$4,200*
Merit Systems Protection Board review of removal	No Cost	$4,800*
EEOC Case	No Cost	$4,800*
OPM Classification Case	No Cost	$3,600*
Workers' Compensation	No Cost	$1,800*
*based on minimum estimated cost to hire an attorney at $120.00 per hour.

Also see "Why Join Local 704" and "Why Have A Union."