How to become a DGSU Member
Being a union member means you are building your union power, have a voice in our organization, and even enjoy various SEIU member benefits!! Dues are negotiated as a part of our contract, which allows our union to sustain itself and continue to fight on behalf of all workers. SEIU’s Southern Region has some of the lowest dues in the county, at 1.5% of the salary that we negotiate but at the maximum of $50 per month. Given our stipend as of January 28th, 2026, the dues will remain $50/month.
Our negotiated contract had already given use the raise the overweighed the dues; it’s a matter of building your union strength now!
Have more questions? See the FAQ here.
DGSU member Anita Simha amps up the crowd in front of the Chapel on our Labor Day 2022 rally for $40K.
Why Pay Dues?
Membership dues are the lifeline of our union. A portion of the dues come back to you as parts of union socials and events that bring colleagues together in solidarity. They also contribute to the operating costs of running a union, especially covering the costs related to filing grievances—a protection under our contract that any PhD worker is entitled to, regardless of membership status. Without dues, we will not be able to enforce our contract, and our protections are simply a dead letter.
Below are some testimonials from our proud members:
“I pay dues because I want my money to go towards strengthening labor rights in Durham and in the South. Our dues dollars support other workers that are organizing which means my dues help other workers get protections in the workplace. Also, our union dues go towards our SEIU staff that do so much work to help students across campus and beyond. $50 is a small sum to pay for all these benefits, especially because our raise covers this investment in labor rights!” - DGSU Vice President Alona Whitebird Medina
Learn more about where our dues go in the FAQ section!
Ending Membership/Dues Authorization
If you need to make any changes to your membership, we now have a process set out in the contract under Article 5: Union Security:
Section 2. Revocation of Authorization. This authorization will remain in effect for one (1) year, and will automatically be renewed from year to year for a period of one (1) year unless properly revoked. A bargaining unit member can revoke this authorization by sending written notice by certified mail to the Union not more than twenty (20) days and not less than ten (10) days either (1) before the expiration of each yearly period, or (2) before the expiration of the Union’s contract with the University, whichever is sooner. The Union must notify the University of any revocation pursuant to this Section.
Any authorization to withhold monies under this Article shall also terminate and the withholding obligation cease immediately upon the termination of a bargaining unit member’s appointment with the University.
You can find the date when your card went active by your email confirmation from srjb@seiu.org. An email to dukegradunion@gmail.com during the 30 day period will suffice. Please provide the email you registered under, your name, and your date of membership activation.
Other Details
If you would like to contribute an additional sum to SEIU's Committee on Political Education (COPE), click this link. COPE contributions are purely voluntary and support pro-labor political advocacy. If you are an international student, you may not legally contribute money to a PAC in the US, so please skip this section of the sign-up page.