employees dues pay for the union leadership salaries, bonuses, staffing, and leasing and other office expenses. Where is the other 400-500 million coming from?
If that is true, the money has to be coming from the pension fund - there is no where else that kind of money is coming from. The union trustee that manages the funds would have access and there are rules that apply to emergencies.
Future union employees payroll and company contributions are needed in order to pay for retirees today. That is why you read about other union pension benefit cutbacks. It is a Ponzi scheme.
Not only will you need to look temporary work, you will need to set a few bucks away, on your own, in order to compensate for union leadership neglect and corruption.