OPERATIONAL MOBILITY OPPORTUNITY

Local 2544 Keeps Member Dues Steady Despite AFGE Per Capita Increase

Local 2544 remains committed to protecting our members, not only in the workplace, but also during the most serious and high-risk moments of their careers.

Recently, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) approved a $1.50 per-capita increase. Per capita is the portion of dues that local unions send to the national organization to support nationwide operations, legal work, and advocacy.

While Local 2544 recognizes the role AFGE plays at the national level, we also recognize a responsibility that begins and ends with our members. For that reason:

Rather than passing additional costs on to our membership, the Local has taken deliberate steps to absorb the increase through responsible budgeting and disciplined spending.

Local 2544 made a conscious decision to reduce spending on non-essential external advocacy activity budget items not on programs that directly protect our members.

Despite tightening the budget, Local 2544 continues to fully fund critical, member-focused protections, including:

Local 2544 provides Critical Incident Response support for members involved in serious, high-stress events such as:

• Officer-involved shootings
• Vehicle pursuits involving bodily injury
• Other critical incidents with criminal or administrative exposure

This support exists because members deserve immediate, knowledgeable, and experienced representation when the stakes are highest.

Local 2544 continues to fund the Police Officers Research Association of California (PORAC), which provides criminal defense attorneys for members involved in:

• Officer-involved shootings
• Serious use-of-force incidents
• Vehicle pursuits with injury
• Criminal investigations arising from line-of-duty actions

PORAC attorneys are not general labor lawyers; they are specialists in criminal defense and critical incident representation. Maintaining this coverage is non-negotiable, and Local 2544 has ensured it remains fully funded.

Local 2544 believes union resources should be used where they have the greatest impact on members’ safety, careers, and livelihoods.

That belief guided our decision to:

• Preserve funding for critical incident protection
• Preserve funding for criminal defense representation
• Preserve funding for core union representation
• Reduce spending in external advocacy activity areas that do not directly benefit members in their day-to-day or high-risk duties

Your dues should protect you especially when it matters most.

Local 2544 members are represented politically at the national level through the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC).

The NBPC handles Border Patrol–specific national advocacy, including:

• Engagement with Congress and federal policymakers
• National legislation affecting Border Patrol agents
• Pay, benefits, retirement, and working conditions
• Border security policy impacting the workforce

Because the NBPC already fulfills this role, Local 2544 does not need to duplicate national political spending at the local level to ensure our members’ voices are heard in Washington, D.C.

This structure allows Local 2544 to remain focused on direct representation and critical protections, while national political advocacy is handled where it is most effective.

Local 2544/NBPC does not donate to political parties or political candidates.

When NBPC or Local 2544 engages in political activity, it is for the purpose of direct advocacy meeting with elected officials, agency leadership, and policymakers to advocate for Border Patrol agents’ working conditions, safety, pay, benefits, and legal protections.

Our political budget is focused on advocacy, not contributions, and on ensuring that members’ voices are heard where decisions affecting their careers are made.

At a time when members are facing increased scrutiny, increased risk, and rising cost-of-living pressures, Local 2544 believes leadership must exercise restraint, discipline, and accountability.

By keeping local dues unchanged while continuing to fund essential protections like Critical Incident Response and PORAC legal defense, Local 2544 reaffirms its commitment to:

• Member safety
• Member representation
• Member trust
• Responsible financial stewardship

Local 2544 will continue to fight for our members—without asking them to pay more to do it.