Post: WA State

Posted by Stan on 8/26/04

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HELP STOP UNION OFFICIALS FROM PUNISHING THOSE WHO DISAGREE
WITH UNION POLITICS.

With greater frequency, public employees in union-
represented workplaces are being punished for refusing to
fund union officials' electioneering.

Each year around contract bargaining time, I am contacted
by teachers who decline union membership, but pay the union-
calculated fee for workplace representation--typically
between $500 and $800. These teachers tell me that local
union presidents are not letting them vote on the contract
or calendar simply because they are not paying the
additional amount for union political activities.

Other public employees probably face the same
discrimination when they opt out of union politicking. Tens
of thousands of state employees will soon be presented with
decisions about the contract currently under negotiation.
Will they be allowed to vote on their own contract if they
disagree with their union bosses' political opinion?

The Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) has
jurisdiction over unfair labor practices and union
elections for more than 150,000 public employees. Their
agency regulations address union elections and union
obligations to those who pay agency fees for workplace
representation.

Five public employees and the Evergreen Freedom Foundation
have formally petitioned the state to adopt a rule assuring
that all workers in a bargaining unit are given equal
access to decisions made about their contract. Teachers
tried on their own earlier this summer but were disregarded
by PERC, so we prepared a more comprehensive petition on
their behalf.

A copy of the petition can be seen here:
http://www.effwa.org/press_releases/2004_08_25.php

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

E-mail or write to the Public Employment Relations
Commission asking for a hearing and the adoption of a rule
to protect these workers from discrimination. Below is an
example of the gist of the message.

"As the agency with authority over union elections and fair
practices in union workplaces, please adopt a rule to
assure that all employees under the jurisdiction of the
Public Employment Relations Commission have equal voting
rights on bargaining unit decisions."

info@perc.wa.gov

Public Employment Relations Commission
P. O. Box 40919
Olympia, WA 98504-0919

Since the Governor appoints the commissioners and will hear
our appeal if the commissioners turn a deaf ear to these
workers, please let the governor know your thoughts as well.

"Please let me know your thoughts about the petition before
the Public Employment Relations Commission regarding
discrimination against those who pay for collective
bargaining but opt out of funding union politics."

http://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/govemail.htm

Governor Gary Locke
Office of the Governor
PO Box 40002
Olympia, WA 98504-0002

In both cases, please be polite but firm, and let me know
if you send such a message to PERC and/or the governor. We
have already met with reporters from most of the major
state papers on this issue, but it would help us in future
contacts with them if we can say how many scores of
citizens have added their voices to those of public
employees.

If you are a public employee, you may wish to take the
blank petition at:
http://www.effwa.org/pdfs/ofm_petition.pdf

and fill it out like the first page of our petition at:
http://www.effwa.org/Petition%20for%20Rule%20Change.pdf
and send it to PERC.

Likewise ask candidates for public office what they think
about unions taking collective bargaining funds and giving
the money to candidates. If you wonder which ones are
receiving these kinds of funds, I would be happy to aid you
in finding out.

CLOSING THOUGHT:

As always, keep me posted on any union electioneering you
encounter.

Did you know that the Washington State Labor Council tells
the IRS that it spends ZERO on expenditures "intended to
influence the selection, nomination, election, or
appointment of anyone to a Federal, state, or local public
office."

We are interested in all the evidence you have that this
statement is inaccurate.
______________________________________________
Mr. Jami Lund mailto:jlund@effwa.org
http://www.defendteachers.org
Evergreen Freedom Foundation (360) 956-3482
PO Box 552
Olympia, WA 98507

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WA State, 8/26/04, by Stan.