UAW membership, dues decline

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The United Auto Workers saw a decline in membership and union dues last year amid restructuring and job cuts by domestic automakers.
The UAW's membership through late December had declined 3.4 percent to 538,448, a reduction of more than 18,000 from a year earlier, according to its annual report to the Labor Department.
Union dues, meanwhile, fell about 3 percent to 191 million in 2006, according to the report filed by the union March 29 and recently posted to the Labor Department's Web site. In 2004, for example, dues were about 206 million, records show.
In a year when Democrats recaptured control of Congress, the UAW spent 9.6 million on lobbying and political activities, an increase of 1.4 million from 2005.
Unions have been required in recent years to file more detailed disclosure reports about their finances. The report offers a window into the union as it heads into bargaining this summer with General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group.
The UAW contract expires in September.
GM, Chrysler and Ford Motor Co. have lost billions of dollars during the past two years and shed thousands of workers. The companies are expected to seek major concessions from the union during the talks.