Fees - Finance Sector

This is the fee structure for finance workers. If you do not work in the Finance sector please click here for the current fee structure. Some finance sector members pay standard membership fees and, if so, will be advised. Members who have queries should contact FIRST Union at 0800 863 477.

The fee schedule for finance sector members will be changing from 1 May 2019 onwards. Members will be contacted to determine where you fit on the new scale:

Annual Income	Fortnightly Fee	Weekly Fee
Below $15,000 and casual	$5.50	$2.70
$15,000 to $30,000	$10.00	$5.00
$30,000 to $45,000	$14.00	$7.00
$45,000 to $70,000	$18.00	$9.00
$70,000 +++	$20.00	$10.00

Funeral Insurance: A voluntary payment of 95 cents per week in addition to the weekly union fee.

Membership Fees

Membership fees pay for the costs of having an organisation — such as contract negotiations, grievances, training for members, legal fees — so no one has to go it alone. Funding the cost of our union as members also keeps us independent and unreliant on others. A small increase is applied to our union fees each year in May. This annual automatic increase system was decided by union delegates at our 2001 regional conferences. The amount of the increase is based on the average percentage wage increases achieved in each sector of the Union. Finance Members fee rates are an historical exception to the annual automatic fee increase system dating back to the time of the amalgamation in 2011. The fees have not been increased since then. The new scale has additional intermediate steps and a higher salary threshold before the top rate kicks in that reflects the settlements achieved for bank workers in 2018.

Change to Annual Salary

If your annual salary changes, you must: If your membership fees are paid by payroll deduction advise your payroll ofﬁce and the Union immediately so your union fee rate can be adjusted. If your membership fees are paid by direct debit advise the union in writing so that the correct amount can be deducted next time.

Resigning your membership

To resign your membership you must advise the Union in writing or by email. This is an audit requirement. A phone call is not enough. One month’s written notice of resignation is required under FIRST Union rules.

Refunds

FIRST Union will not refund fees paid should you fail to advise the Union of changes in writing or by email at the time of resignation. If an employer error leads to the overpayment of fees the Union will work with the employer to verify the cause and a refund of up to six-months fees may be made. If fees are paid by direct debit there will be no refund of over-paid fees if you did not notify the Union in writing or by email to cancel the direct debit. If there are special or exceptional circumstances that warrant consideration of a refund you can request these circumstances be referred to the relevant sector secretary. There is no expectation that a refund will be made and the sector secretary’s decision will be ﬁnal.

Notiﬁcation must be in writing. Please send your notice to our National Ofﬁce: FIRST Union, Private Bag 92904, Onehunga, Auckland 1643 or email: membership@ﬁrstunion.org.nz