Junk Mail Magic

Ask about optional promotional mail from a union

Ask the union directly which of its mailings are optional promotions and which are official member or bargaining notices. A discount program or card offer printed with the union's name may come from a commercial partner, and the envelope alone may not show who controls that list. Keep meeting notices, bargaining updates and ballots out of any request.

By Junk Mail Magic. Updated .

Sort the pile, then ask

  1. Lay out recent mailings and mark each one as a member notice, a union publication, a partner offer or unsure.
  2. Find the member services or communications contact on the union's official website or on a recent official notice. Do not use contact details from a partner offer.
  3. Ask whether the union offers a way to stop printed promotional mail while official member and bargaining notices continue.
  4. For each partner offer, give the sender, offer and date, and ask whether the union or the partner controls that mailing list.
  5. Save the reply with the date and the office or person who answered.

When the partner is the right contact

If the union says a bank, insurer or retailer controls a mailing, a request may need to go to that company instead. Use the company name and offer shown on the piece, and ask whether it has a mail preference option before assuming one exists.

A mail preference request is separate from membership. Say so in your message, and confirm any effect on dues, benefits or publications with the union itself.

Sample question to a union

Example for your own use. Replace the bracketed details and review what you share.

I am a member: [name as printed], [mailing address]. On [date] I received [title or offer] from [sender as printed]. Is this optional promotional mail? Can printed promotional mail stop while I keep receiving official member and bargaining notices? Does the union or [partner name] control this mailing list? I am not asking to change my membership.

Turn the answer into two lists

From the union's reply, list the items it can stop and the items it says will continue. Any partner offer the union says it does not control goes on a separate list for a request to that company.

Official source

Ask about vendor mail linked to an associationKeep account notices while stopping promotionsAsk whether a postal preference covers partner sharingChoose the right contact when a mailer has several logosMembership preferencesAll practical mail guides

Have an unwanted advertisement ready?

Photograph one piece you are authorized to handle, with the sender and full mailing label visible. Review the details before submitting. The first request is free; the sender controls the response.

Try one request free