They say you gotta pay your dues. But shouldn’t those dues be less than what you’re making? Even as tensions rise in the what may later be dubbed “Southern California Grocery Apocalypse II: The Sad Sequel,” members from UFCW continue to note their unhappiness with their union bosses — especially over the issue of dues. We’ve noted before that the use of dues money to fund lavish salaries for UFCW bosses has already provoked a picket against the union in Southern California. Now another SoCal member is running the numbers, and they’re leaving him broke.

On his livejournal blog, our UFCW member notes the math involved in paying his dues. His math:

My hire date is april 12… so by may 12 i have to go to the local union office and activate my membership… I’m to come prepared to pay my financial obligation and all that for a total of $396…. I’m making about $150 a week so it seems in essence most of the money I’m making for the next month i have to save up to pay the union… WTF is the point of working if it’s all gonna go to the union…

But wait, there’s more! He received a letter from his local, which reads:

… you are a General Merchandise Clerk, therefore, your monthly dues are 45.50 per month and we are charging you May and June dues. Your one time initiation fee is $300.00 for your classification. We also have a $5.00 death benefit charge. This is a life insurance policy and it [covers] you for $2,500.00.

Meanwhile, don’t forget that this luxury resort was the final destination for UFCW members’ dues last year.