All About Dues

According to federal union filings, UFCW Local 1473 dues can cost over $1,000 per year.

You May Pay Up To

$1,044
per year in union dues
$3,132
over a three-year contract

The Union Could Gain *

$246,384
per year in YOUR dues
$739,152
over a three-year contract
*this calculation assumes a dues rate of $87/month and a store with 236 associates

Unions Aren’t Free and Dues Aren’t Cheap

Unions might tell you that dues are only a small percentage of your income, but over time they can really add up. According to UFCW Local 1473’s most recent financial reports, represented associates could pay up to $87.00 per month in dues, which could add up to over $3,000 over the life of a three-year contract.

Understanding How Unions Spend Dues Money 

Spending by unions is publicly available via the Office of Labor-Management Standards, part of the U.S. Department of Labor. Financial reports show that unions like UFCW are a big business, supported almost entirely by dues straight from member’s paychecks.

In 2024–2025, UFCW collected just over $215 million in member dues, in the form of chapter taxes, according to its financial reports on file with the U.S. Department of Labor. 
Despite collecting just over $215 million from their nearly 1.2 million members nationwide, UFCW only spent 23% of that money on representing their members. Instead, according to their own records, UFCW spent that money on union administration, political activities and lobbying, and general overhead.

UFCW uses its funds, which come in part from your dues payments, for things like political activities and lobbying, union administration and general overhead, and more.

Follow the Money: What Your Union Dues Could Fund

UFCW DUES REVENUE AND SPENDING FOR 2026*
UFCW Local 1473
UFCW National
Total Revenues 
$5,202,984
$352,191,040
Spending
$4,961,741
$368,815,454
Representational Activities 
$1,833,258
$50,296,376
Political Activities and Lobbying 
$0
$8,688,218
Contributions, Gifts, and Grants 
$44,200
$1,317,680
Union Administration
$244,329
$8,447,732
General Overhead
$516,576
$26,702,271
Total Payroll
$1,336,557
$28,240,782
Strike Benefits
$0
$1,561,739

*For a more detailed view of UFCW’s local and national spending, check out the union’s LM-2 forms:

United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW). Labor Organization Annual Report: Form LM-2. Report No. 937826, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards, 2025, https://olmsapps.dol.gov/query/orgReport.do?rptId=937826&rptForm=LM2Form.

United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1473. Labor Organization Annual Report: Form LM-2. Report No. 922176, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards, 2025, https://olmsapps.dol.gov/query/orgReport.do?rptId=922176&rptForm=LM2Form.