Checkoff

A system whereby an employer regularly deducts a portion of an employee's wages to pay union dues or initiation fees.

The checkoff system is very attractive to a union since the collection of dues can be costly and time-consuming. It prescribes the manner in which dues are paid by deductions in earnings rather than through individual checks sent directly to the union. Unions are thereby assured of the regular receipt of their dues.

A dues checkoff system is only lawful when voluntarily authorized by an employee. Unions have attempted to make alternatives to checkoff more onerous by requiring such practices as in-person delivery of dues checks to out-of-state locations. The national labor relations board has held that this type of inducement to checkoff is unlawful, however, as is the attempt by a union to collect assessments extending beyond periodic dues.

Cross-references

Labor Law; Labor Union.

References in periodicals archive

In the WTP model, growers without a secondary operation are less likely to support expansion of the checkoff program and the joint F test for both binary terms is marginally significant (approval: [chi square] = 5.36).

How does advertising affect market performance? A note on generic advertising

(2) The decision effectively ended legal struggles by producers of various commodities seeking to invalidate checkoff programs that have collected billions of dollars over the years.

Cattle on a thousand hills: reflections on the beef checkoff litigation

"A `negative' or `reverse checkoff'" automatically deducts contributions to the PAC from members' paychecks unless a member who does not want to contribute `opts out,'" the campaign finance office explained in a letter sent to the International Brotherhood of Police Officers Local 504 last month.

Police union broke PAC law

Sorghum producer and checkoff board member Troy Skarke says the Moroccan purchase demonstrates the strong return on investment the United Sorghum Checkoff Program facilitates for sorghum producers.

New Opportunity for U.S. Sorghum in Morocco

So three of his sons, Nick, Zach and Jake, got to work on a bill to bring back the political party checkoff.

Checkoff is Klonoski legacy

As part of these efforts, Broadhead + Co will provide domestic marketing strategy for the new sorghum checkoff program.

UNITED SORGHUM CHECKOFF PROGRAM SELECTS BROADHEAD + CO

The alliance was formed in 2006, through a merger of the Indiana Soybean Board (the former checkoff organization) and the Indiana Soybean Growers Association.

Investing in soybeans: Indiana crop is a substitute for petroleum

Cattlemen have a beef with chicken: The National Cattlemen's Beef Association, using beef checkoff funds, will begin discussions next week in Denver on how to persuade Americans to add one evening beef meal every two weeks.

News briefs ..

A group of associations and individuals subject to the checkoff brought suit in the U.S.

Uncovering coherence in compelled subsidy of speech doctrine: Johanns v. Livestock Marketing Ass'n

ICMC and ICGA are planning to emphasize ethanol promotion, research and commercialization of new corn uses, and improved biofuel and checkoff legislation.

ICGA, ICMC, ISB Sign Management Agreement

The government does nothing to explain the checkoff to filers.

Presidential public funding: worth saving?

Supreme Court to decide if the beef checkoff program--and essentially all agricultural product checkoff programs--is constitutional.

Beef ruling threatens all checkoff programs; Cattlemen ask for Supreme Court to decide constitutionality