A union is an association of employees formed to negotiate with their employer regarding terms and conditions of employment, including pay, hours, and other employment-related conditions. The union is the exclusive negotiating agent, meaning no other individual, body, or organization is permitted to negotiate  with the employer on matters relating to the terms and conditions of employment of the employees represented by the union.

Union representatives negotiate with employers through a mechanism called collective bargaining. The results of this process are contained in a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), and both parties are bound by the terms of this contract during its term or until a new CBA is in place as long as the union remains the exclusive bargaining representative. The union remains the exclusive representative for members of the bargaining unit until and unless (1) the union disavows interest in representing the unit, or (2) bargaining unit members voluntarily sign a petition seeking to decertify the union (after which a vote would be taken to decertify the union or not).

GOLD is an organization of graduate students at Dartmouth that voted in July 2022 to become affiliated with the United Electrical Radio and Machine Workers of America, Local 261 and is now known as GOLD-UE.

Union dues are a fee a union charges to bargaining unit members.  Unions set the amount of dues unit members must pay and use the dues to cover the costs of things like the union’s representation work, including contract negotiation, administration, and disputes. The dues may be a flat rate or a percentage of wages. They may also be used for the purpose of organizing at other employers, for making political contributions, and for political and social causes supported by the union. Unions may seek to require that members of the bargaining unit who do not choose to join the union pay an "agency fee" (sometimes called "fair-share" fee), in an amount also determined  by the union.

Unions support themselves through the assessment of union dues or fees collected from bargaining unit members.  Although the collection of dues is often facilitated by employers through a dues checkoff card, the money paid in dues must come directly from the employee.

In collective bargaining negotiations unions typically demand  “union security” agreements. Under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), unions and employers can enter a "union security agreement" or "closed shop agreement," which requires the payment of dues or a "dues equivalent" (also known as an “agency fee” or “fair share fee”) as a condition of employment. While some states have what are known as “right to work laws,” which prohibit union security agreements, New Hampshire does not have such a law.  The collective bargaining agreement between Dartmouth and GOLD-UE has a union security agreement.

Members of a bargaining unit may choose to pay dues, or to pay an "agency fee" (sometimes called "fair-share" fee) instead.   An agency fee is typically a percentage of the dues amount, and is used to support only a union’s representation work, such as contract negotiation.  Bargaining unit members who pay an agency fee are still covered by the collective bargaining agreement, but they are no longer union members.  Someone who chooses to pay an agency fee is known as a “Beck objector” after the Supreme Court decision establishing this option.  The union is obligated to notify bargaining unit members about this option and how to select it.

Bargaining unit members may also seek a religious accommodation if they object to union membership on religious grounds.  This process is handled by the union, who will typically ask the member to pay an amount equal to dues to a nonreligious charitable organization as the accommodation.

For more information, please see: NLRB Union Dues.    

As a result of the unionization vote in Spring 2023, GOLD-UE is the exclusive bargaining representative for all graduate students enrolled in Dartmouth College degree programs who are employed to provide teaching and research services.

Under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), unions and employers can enter a "union security agreement" or "closed shop agreement," which requires the payment of dues or a "dues equivalent" (also known as an “agency fee” or “fair share fee”) as a condition of employment. While some states have what are known as “right to work laws,” which prohibit union security agreements, New Hampshire does not have such a law.  The collective bargaining agreement between Dartmouth and GOLD-UE has a union security agreement.  

Here's What this Means for You

• Membership and Dues: If you are a stipend-supported graduate student employed in teaching or research, you are automatically part of the bargaining unit and represented by GOLD-UE. As a member of the bargaining unit you may:

1. Join the Union: You can choose to become a member of GOLD-UE, sign a union dues card, and pay union dues.
2. Beck Objector: You can opt not to join the union. However, you will still need to pay a "dues equivalent" known as an agency fee. This option stems from a Supreme Court decision known as the Beck case. As a Beck objector, you will still be represented by GOLD-UE and protected by the contract but will not have certain rights of union membership, such as voting in union meetings. Payment of the agency fee is used to support the union’s representational work only.  The union should notify you of this option and how to select it.  We do not know the cost difference between dues and the agency fee, but the union should tell you.

• Representation: Regardless of whether you sign a union card or voted in the unionization election, if you are a graduate student in the bargaining unit, you are represented by GOLD-UE. This means you are covered by the negotiated agreement between Dartmouth and GOLD-UE.
• Membership vs. Joining the Union: You can be a member of the bargaining unit and represented by GOLD-UE without formally joining the union and participating in union activities and without your payments to the union being used to support political or social causes of interest to GOLD-UE - this is the agency fee option. This distinction allows you to benefit from union representation and contract protections without full union membership.
• Notification: GOLD-UE is required to inform all members of the bargaining unit about the option to pay an agency fee instead of full union dues.
• Religious Accommodation:  If you object to union membership on religious grounds, you may seek a religious accommodation from the union, such as paying an amount equal to dues to a nonreligious charitable organization.

Individuals who are not "members" of the union are still exclusively represented by the union and covered by the  terms of the CBA.  For more detailed information about your rights and union dues, you can visit the National Labor Relations Board's page here.

While an individual in a covered position may not remove themselves from a bargaining unit certified by the National Labor Relations Board, they should talk with their Union representative to understand the options available to opt out of paying for the non-representational activities of the union.