Okay, so I decided to try this “leave a union” thing I saw on the NYT. Here’s how it all went down, from start to finish.
The Setup
First, I needed to figure out which union I was even in. Sounds dumb, I know, but I’ve switched jobs a few times, and honestly, I wasn’t 100% sure. I dug out my old pay stubs and employment paperwork. Turns out, I was part of the local chapter of a pretty big national union.
Finding the Rules
Next up, I had to find out the actual process for leaving. I went to the union’s website. It wasn’t exactly user-friendly, I gotta say. I poked around for a while, looking for something like “membership cancellation” or “how to leave.” No luck.
I then tried their FAQ section. Still nothing useful. Finally, I found a general contact email address. I figured I’d start there.
Making Contact
I sent a pretty straightforward email. I just said I wanted to leave the union and asked what steps I needed to take. I waited. And waited. A couple of days went by, and still no reply.
So, I decided to be a bit more proactive. I looked up the phone number for the local office and gave them a call. I got transferred around a few times, but eventually, I ended up talking to someone who seemed to know what they were doing.
The Paperwork Chase
The person on the phone told me I needed to submit a formal resignation letter. They said there might be a specific form, but they weren’t sure. They suggested checking the website again (ugh) or coming down to the office in person.
I really didn’t want to go in person, so I went back to the website. After even more searching, I finally found a downloadable PDF – a “Withdrawal Request Form.” Bingo!
Filling It Out
The form was pretty basic. I filled in my name, employee ID, contact info, and the date. There was a section asking for the reason for leaving, but it was optional. I left that blank. I just wanted out, no need for a long explanation.
Submitting and Waiting (Again)
I printed the form, signed it, and scanned it back into my computer. Then I attached it to an email and sent it to the address I’d used before. This time, I added a read receipt request, just to be sure.
I got the read receipt confirmation pretty quickly, but it still took a few more days to get an actual response. Finally, I received an email confirming that my resignation had been processed and that I was officially out of the union.
The Aftermath
Honestly, the whole thing was a bit more of a hassle than I expected. It wasn’t exactly difficult, but it definitely took some persistence and a lot of digging around. I learned that you really have to be your own advocate when it comes to this kind of stuff. Nobody’s going to hold your hand through the process.
I am feel good that I finally leave the union.
