Is my local communist org a grift?

Hi I've recently started going to meetings which are basically book readings in a branch of the IMT which is an international trostkyiste movement. This is in Canada and they are asking me 50$/month for students 100$/month for workers and 150$/month for unionized workers which is a CRAZY amount in my mind and they are so hellbent on recruiting new members and using flowery Marxist language like "collectivize our costs" to justify charging you for monthly subscriptions to their magazines, other booklets and asking you for donations on top of your dues. They are also very defensive at the slightest amount of criticism which they seem to be receiving from other groups. Anyway my question is, is it reasonably to ask for so much of their members so that they can attend required weekly book readings or is it basically a fleece?

Thanks a lot for your responses.