The current dues, as determined by secret mail ballot referendum in 1998-1999, is $130 per quarter or $520 per year. No assessments, etc., can be levied without a secret mail ballot vote of the membership.

The officers' wages and benefits are set by secret mail ballot referendum and are paid out of the General Treasury. It is illegal under the SUP Constitution for any regularly elected officer to be paid by an employer. Union support staff are members of Local 3 of the Office and Professional Employees International Union and are also paid out of the treasury of the SUP.

Affiliation of the SUP
The Sailors' Union of the Pacific is an AFL-CIO autonomous affiliate of the Seafarers' International Union of North America (SIUNA) which was organized by the SUP in 1938. Other autonomous affiliates of the SIUNA, which is the only federation of unions in the AFL-CIO, includes the Marine Firemen's Union and the SIU-Atlantic, Gulf and Inland Waters District.

Autonomy is key to our affiliation with SIUNA. The SUP membership makes all decisions regarding the conduct of our organization including bargaining and contracts. The SUP controls its own destiny.

The SUP is also affiliated with the Maritime Trades Department, AFL-CIO, also founded by the SUP; State Federations of Labor in California, Washington State, Hawaii, as well as AFL-CIO Labor Central Councils in many cities in those states.

By participating in these organizations, the SUP acts in concert and solidarity with the rest of the labor movement on issues common to all, ranging from bread and butter issues of wages, hours, and working conditions to those involving social justice.