3.04 Agency Fee:
Beginning thirty (30) days after the effective date of this Agreement, all eligible non-member staff in the unit will be required to pay to the Union a representation fee in lieu of dues for services rendered by the Union. Nothing herein shall be deemed to require any staff members to become a member of the Union.
Prior to the effective date of this Agreement, the Union shall notify the University, in writing, of the amount of regular membership dues, initiation fees and assessments charged by the Union to its own members for that contract year. Any changes in the representation fee structure during the contract year shall be in accordance with the procedure set out in Section 3.04 below. In no event shall the representation fee exceed eighty-five percent (85%) of the payments of regular members.
For the purpose of calculating representation dues deductions, reimbursement for tuition shall not be included as part of gross salary of staff.
After verification by the University that a staff member must pay the representation fee, the University will deduct the fee for all eligible staff members in accordance with this Section. The mechanics of the deduction of representation fees and the transmission of such fees to the Union will be the same as those used for the deduction and transmission of regular membership dues to the Union.
The University shall deduct the representation fee as soon as possible after the tenth day following reentry into the unit for staff members who previously served in a position identified as excluded, for individuals recalled from layoff, for staff members returning from leave without pay and for previous staff members who become eligible for the representation fee because of non-member status.
The University shall deduct the representation fee from a new staff member in the pay period following the thirty (30) days after the staff member’s date of hire.
The representation fee in lieu of dues shall only be available to the Union if the procedures set out hereafter are maintained by the Union. The burden of proof under this system is solely on the Union.
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