I.  Dues and Representation-Service Fees
A.  Rate of Dues and Representation-Service Fees
1.Effective September 1, 1993 , and continuing thereafter, total per term membership dues for Graduate Student Assistants represented by the Graduate Employees’ Organization, AFT/MFT Local 3550, AFL-CIO, shall equal 1.37% of their per-term salary. (Adopted March 30, 1993)
2.Associate dues shall be the equivalent of the dues rate for a 0.10 FTE. (Adopted 1/14/87)
3.Representation-service fees shall be calculated at the same rate as dues, provided, however,  that the amount of the representation-service  fees has not been challenged by the employee, as specified by the current agreement negotiated between the Regents of the University of Michigan and the Graduate Employees’ Organization.  (Revised February 11, 1986)
4.Staff Assistants in the Library System shall be given a pro-rated partial rebate of their dues/fees paid, which shall account for the proportional difference in their full time equivalent and the full time equivalent paid all other Graduate Student Assistants in the bargaining unit described in the current collective bargaining agreement.   The amount of rebate shall be sufficient to bring their effective dues into line with their lower FTE.  (Adopted March 8, 1982.)
B.   Agency Shop Objections
1.Any person making agency shop fee payments to the Union in lieu of dues under the agency shop provisions in the Union’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, shall have the right to challenge the expenditure of his/her portion of such payments for political or ideological activities unrelated to collective bargaining.  Such challenges shall be made, if at all, by the challenger individually notifying the Union President and Treasurer of his/her challenge in writing within thirty (30) days of the effective date of their employment, as specified in the current collective bargaining agreement.
The approximate proportion of dues and service fees spent by the Union for such purposes shall be determined annually, after each fiscal year of the Union, by the Union’s officers.  Rebate of a pro-rated portion of challenger’s agency shop fees corresponding to such proportion shall thereafter be made to each individual who has timely filed a notice of his/her challenge, as provided above.
2.Appeals.  If a challenger is dissatisfied with the proportional allocation that has been determined on the grounds that it assertedly does not accurately reflect the expenditures of the Union in the defined area, an appeal may be taken by such person to the Michigan Employment Relations Commission in the form of an unfair labor practices charge.  The Michigan Employment Relations Commission’s disposition of the charge shall constitute the decision on appeal. (Adopted February 11, 1986)
II  Membership Meetings
1.    Membership Meetings shall be closed to the press, unless opened by the meeting.  (Adopted October 20,1983.)
2.    During the Spring and Summer Terms, the following items will be out of order at any membership meeting and may not be the subject of a membership referendum under Article V, Section C of the constitution: dues increase, affiliation of this organization. (Adopted 1/14/87.)
III.  Stewards Council
1.    In the event that a department fails to elect a departmental/unit steward(s) as specified in Article IX, Section A. of the constitution, the Vice-President may appoint an “acting steward” from among that department or unit’s union members.  The “acting steward” shall retain this appointment until such time that the department/unit elects a steward. (Adopted 1/14/87.)
IV.  Honorarium
The President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and the Vice-President of the organization shall receive the sum of fifty ($50) dollars per month, September through April, and twenty-five ($25) per month, May through August, as expenses for the faithful performance of their constitutional responsibilities.  (Adopted January 15, 1986.)
V.  Affiliation
This organization shall be affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers/ Michigan Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO.  (Adopted February 20,1976).