At this time, only union members like you pay for these services--services that benefit all state workers!
That's why we're going to gather in Annapolis, Maryland, on March 23, 2009, at Lawyer's Mall from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and let our legislators know how important "Fair Share" is to us. We'll have buses so that those who want to participate can have free transportaion, and we'll provide dinner boxes for those who travel with us on the bus. Buses will leave at 4:30 p.m. from the Baltimore Teachers Union parking lot, 5800 Metro Drive, in Baltimore, Maryland.
A lot of misinformation about Fair Share legislation has been distributed. Her are the facts that you should know:
FACT: The Fair Share is not a fixed fee. The Fair Share is calculated each year and does not include any charge to nonmembers for political or ideological activities unrelated to collective bargaining activities!
FACT: Higher wages and other benefits negotiated by the union are extended to all workers in that union’s bargaining unit. In other words, the benefits won by unions are enjoyed by all workers!
FACT: Fair Share is a representation fee based on a percentage of the union’s regular expenses and budget. The Fair Share percentage represents the cost of all services performed by the union, including the cost of negotiating a contract for workers, the cost of proceedings before an arbitrator, the cost of processing grievances, the cost of conducting disciplinary proceedings and appeals processes, and the cost protecting a worker’s civil rights.
FACT: Non-union workers benefit from negotiated wages, negotiated health care coverage, and other terms and conditions of employment negotiated by the union. Non-union workers directly benefit from the work that the union does on their behalf. It’s only fair that non-union members share in the cost of that work.
FACT: State employees can vote for Fair Share even if they are not currently in a union.
Fair Share is Fair!