1. You have the right to become a member of the organization or refrain from becoming a member of the Union without fear of reprisal by either the Union or the University of Michigan.
2. An employee represented by the Union who chooses not to become a member of the union or who after joining the union decides to resign is required to pay a representation- service fee.
3. The service fee is limited to that portion of union dues the Union expends on matters germane to collective bargaining with the employer.
4. A non-member who does not arrange for payroll deduction of the representation-service fee must pay by check.
5. A non-member may object to the amount of the service fee. To object, the non-member must present a written objection to the Union’s treasurer. The objection must be presented no later than 30 days after notice of a payroll deduction.
6. An objector will be given a full explanation of the basis for the service fee. The explanation will include a detailed list of chargeable and non-chargeable expenditures and a report of an independent auditor showing the Union’s expenditures from the most recent prior calendar year.
7. The following are examples of expenditures that are chargeable to a non-member:
a. All expenses concerning the negotiation of agreements, practices and working conditions;
b. All expenses concerning the administration of agreements, practices and working conditions, including grievance handling, all activities related to arbitration, and discussion with employees in the bargaining unit or employer representatives regarding working conditions, benefits and contractual rights;
c. Normal union internal governance and management expenses;
d. Social activities and union business meeting expenses;
e. Publication expenses to the extent coverage is related to chargeable activities;
f. Expenses of litigation before the courts and administrative agencies related to contract administration, collective bargaining rights and internal governance;
g. Expenses for legislative, executive branch and administrative agency representation on legislative and regulatory matters closely related to contract ratification or the implementation of contracts;
h. All expenses for the education of and training of members, officers, and staff intended to prepare the participants to better perform chargeable activities;
j. A proportional share of all overhead and administrative expenses.
8. The following are examples of expenditures which are not chargeable to non-members:
a. Expenses related to community service activities of the Union;
b. Expenses incurred in legislative activity not related to the to contract ratification or the implementation of contracts;
c. The costs of affiliating with other organizations;
d. Expenses related to the support of political candidates.
9. A fee payer who disagrees with the Union’s characterization of chargeable and non-chargeable expenditures or calculation of the expenditures in any category may challenge the Union’s determination by submitting a written challenge to the Treasurer of the Union within 30 days of the receipt of the auditor’s report on the allocation of chargeable and non-chargeable expenses.
10. A timely filed challenge to the union’s determination of chargeable and non-chargeable expenses will be resolved by resort to the American Arbitration Association’s Rules for Impartial Determination of Union Fees. All challenges will be consolidated to the extent practicable and be heard as soon as possible. The presentation to the arbitrator will be either in writing or at a hearing if requested by any objector(s). If a hearing is held, any objector who does not wish to attend may submit his or her views in writing by the date of the hearing. If a hearing is not held, the arbitrator will set a date by which all written submissions will be received and will decide the case based on the records submitted. The Union will bear the burden of justifying its calculations.
11. The cost of the arbitrator’s services and the cost of any proceedings before the arbitrator will be borne by the Union. Individually incurred costs will be borne by the party incurring them.
12. While the objection is pending, the Union’s Treasurer will hold, in an interest bearing escrow account, that portion of the fees that are reasonably in dispute. In the event that the arbitrator determines that the objector is entitled to a greater reduction in fees than that calculated by the Union an additional check will be issued at the close of the objection procedure for the balance of the reduction in fees, as determined by the arbitrator.
