May 29, 2018
Chapter leaders have begun reaching out to members with an updated UUP membership form to explain how recent changes to the state’s Taylor Law will protect public sector unions and workers if the U.S. Supreme Court upholds the union-busting Janus v. AFSCME case.
“We want to ensure that our members recognize the need for a strong union and believe, as we do, that anyone represented by a union should pay their fair share for benefits the union provides—like negotiating salary increases and terms of employment,” said UUP President Fred Kowal.
“Workers with union representation who aren’t union members could take union benefits without paying for them if the U.S. Supreme Court rules in favor of Janus v. AFSCME," he continued. “They would be freeloaders, taking full advantage of gains won by the union through collective bargaining.”
The new membership forms are available at your chapter UUP office or through your department representatives. You can also submit the new form electronically via UUP's website, or print one and send it U.S. Mail to UUP.
CLICK HERE to access and electronically submit your new membership form. Just fill in the blanks and click the Submit button at the bottom of the e-form.
SUNY employees who are represented by UUP (Professional Services Negotiating Unit, also called the `08 Bargaining Unit) but aren't union members can join UUP by filling in the form and submitting it electronically.
UUP's mailing address is P.O. Box 15143, Albany, NY, 12212-5143. You can call UUP toll-free at 800-342-4206 with questions.
Taylor law protections
UUP has revamped its union membership form to account for state Taylor Law changes made March 30. The changes, approved by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state Legislature, were put in place to protect unions if the Supreme Court rules in favor of Janus v. AFSCME Council 31 case. That decision is expected in June, by the end of the court’s 2107-18 session.
One of the Taylor Law’s biggest changes: unions are no longer compelled to represent non-members in disciplinary cases (as well as any legal, economic or job-related services) outside of terms of conditions of the union’s contract with the state.
Other changes require public employers (such as SUNY and state agencies) to provide names, work locations, and phone numbers of all new hires to unions, and they must allow unions to meet with the new hires during the workday. This must happen within 30 days of their employment.
Under the protections, new employees can request union membership via email or other electronic means. Members who leave SUNY service but return within a year will automatically resume their union membership.