Membership converts asked to encourage others

By John Dixon

Federation has set its next goal in its Make the Switch campaign, aiming to have 70 per cent of members pay their membership fees by fortnightly direct payments via direct debit from their bank account or automatic payment from their credit card. In the past year 15,000 members have transferred their membership payments from payroll deduction to direct payment methods -- 60 per cent of total subscription payments are made by either cash or direct payments. This is a great result for the union and its members, but 40 per cent of Federation members continue to pay by payroll deduction.

Members who have already switched to direct payments are asked to encourage members still on payroll deduction to help us to meet our next target of 70 per cent of union subscriptions being paid by either direct debit or cash invoice.

In 2006 Federation launched the Make the Switch campaign, designed to protect members and the union in the event of a potential change of government at state level, and the onset of the WorkChoices legislation by the Howard Government. The aim of the campaign was to protect the union's financial base and its ability to campaign on behalf of its members.

Federation is now at less risk if governments try to use the withdrawal of payroll deductions as a weapon in any of the union's campaigns for its members.

John Dixon is the Assistant General Secretary (Communications and Administration).

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August 2007 contents