Membership in TTIG is open to both freelance and in-house translators and interpreters and those aspiring to become such. TTIG dues are among the most reasonable in organized labor. For a membership application, click here.

Remember that union dues may be deductible from your income tax as a business expense. For an invoice for TTIG dues, email unionlanguages@aol.com or click here. Or, to pay via PayPal, choose one of the options below and hit "Pay Now."

TTIG is a volunteer-run organization, with volunteer staff charged with helping members reach their professional translating and interpreting goals.

Union Privilege Benefits - As part of the labor movement, TTIG members have access to a host of benefits which have been negotiated over the years by AFL-CIO. [See www.unionplus.org.] These include: a low-interest MasterCard, life and dental insurance, travel and prescription discounts, mortgage and loan programs, and a legal service which provides free or low-cost collection and other services.TTIG's Newsletter - TTIG’s quarterly newsletter, The VOICE, keeps members up-to-date on activities, issues and benefits, and offers educational articles to improve our translating and interpreting skills.

Our Newsletter - TTIG’s quarterly newsletter, The VOICE, keeps members up-to-date on activities, issues and benefits, and offers educational articles to improve our translating and interpreting skills.

Networking Among Members - In some areas, TTIG members can organize into local groups, called Units, which hold regular business meetings as well as special events such as networking evenings, professional seminars and social gatherings. Units have been mandated for Washington, DC; Northern California; the Pacific Northwest; Massachusetts; and New York/New Jersey. New Units may be established with at least 20 interested members.

TTIG lends its support to individual members to secure fair treatment by clients and employers. We can write letters dealing with collection problems or other contract violations. Members provide agency "report cards" on pay rates and working conditions of T&I agencies nationwide. TTIG filed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of the International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC) case before the Federal Trade Commission; in 1997, AIIC successfully won the right to specify reasonable working conditions.

TTIG’s Policy Issues Committee has in the past examined legislative and regulatory changes which may affect members. TTIG lobbied Congress for restoration of the deduction for health insurance premiums for the self-employed, and has petitioned several court systems to raise the rates paid to interpreters. TTIG has joined other freelancer organizations to lobby for more equitable income tax treatment. We are investigating ways of enabling independent contractors to join together to protect their livelihoods.

TTIG members who are classified as employees have a legal right to bargain collectively for fair pay, job security, hours, benefits and working conditions. Backed up by the experience and negotiating skills of TNG-CWA, we can band together to ensure we are treated fairly by our employers.

For beginners, members who do not yet qualify for the Referral Services, or more established members who need help in a certain area (e.g., sample contracts, building a clientele), TTIG has in the past maintained a database of members who have offered to provide assistance.