2.1 Dues Deduction
The Union may have the regular dues of its members within a representation unit deducted from employees’ pay checks under procedures prescribed by the County Controller. Dues deduction shall be made only upon certification from the Union that an employee has authorized such deduction and shall continue (1) until such certification is revoked, in writing, by the Union; or (2) until the employee transfers to a unit represented by another employee organization or transfers to another unit that is unrepresented. Employees may authorize dues deductions only for the organization certified as the recognized employee organization of the unit to which such employees are assigned.
Not more than once per week (preferably bi-weekly on non-payroll Fridays), the Union will send a list of changes to its member listing by email to the Controller’s Office at [email protected] with the following Certification statement:
- “I, NAME, TITLE, hereby certify that UAPD possesses and will maintain an authorization (for dues deductions and/or voluntary political contribution deductions, as indicated) signed by the individuals on this list from whose salary or wages the deductions is to be made.”
Certified spreadsheets that arrive by the non-payday Friday will be processed for the following week’s payroll.
2.2 Forfeiture of Deduction
If, after all other involuntary and insurance premium deductions are made in any pay period, the balance is not sufficient to pay the deduction of dues required by this Section, no such deduction shall be made for the current pay period.
2.3 Indemnification
The Union shall indemnify, defend and hold the County of San Mateo and its officers and employees, including but not limited to the County Controller, harmless against any and all claims, demands, suits, orders, or judgments, related to dues deduction and Union security, other forms of liability that arise out of or by reason of this Union Security Section, or action taken or not taken by the County under this Section. This includes, but is not limited to, the County’s attorney’s fees and costs.
2.4 The Union agrees that it has a duty to provide fair and non-discriminatory representation to all employees in all classes in the units for which this section is applicable regardless of whether they are members of the Union.
2.5 Communications with Employees
The Union shall be allowed by a County department, in which it represents employees, use of available bulletin board space for communications having to do with official organization business, such as times and places of meetings, provided such use does not interfere with the needs of the department. The Union may distribute materials to employees within the unit it represents through County mail distribution channels if approved by the Human Resources Department Director. This privilege may be revoked in the event of abuse after the Human Resources Department Director consults with the representatives of the Union. Any representative of the Union shall give notice to the department head or designated representative when contacting departmental employees during the duty period of the employees, provided that solicitation for membership or other internal employee organization business shall be conducted only during the non-duty hours of all employees concerned. Prearrangement for routine contact may be made by agreement between the Union and the department head and when made shall continue until revoked.
2.6 Use of County Buildings
County buildings and other facilities may be made available for use by County employees or the Union or its representatives in accordance with such administrative procedures as may be established by the County Manager or department heads concerned.
2.7 Advance Notice
Except in cases of emergency as provided below in this subsection, the Union, if affected, shall be given reasonable advance written notice of any ordinance, resolution, rule or regulation directly relating to matters within the scope of representation proposed to be adopted by the County and shall be given the opportunity to meet with the appropriate management representatives prior to adoption.
In cases of emergency when the foregoing procedure is not practical or in the best public interest, the County may adopt or put into practice immediately such measures as are required. At the earliest practicable date thereafter the Union shall be provided with the notice described in the preceding paragraph and be given an opportunity to meet with the appropriate management representatives.
2.8 New Employee Orientation
The County and the Union shall continue to work on best practices to ensure labor access to new employees for the purpose of educating them on their representation opportunities. Toward that goal, the County shall administer an opportunity for the Union to meet with new employees as follows:
The Union shall be allowed a reasonable period of time not to exceed thirty (30) minutes at a time determined by the County at each New Employee Orientation session for San Mateo Medical Center (SMMC) to speak to employees in classifications represented by the Union.
The County will provide the Union Representative with the dates, times and locations for the New Employee Orientation on an annual basis, subject to change, and updates as they occur. The Union will coordinate with the County regarding the Union representative or designee who will attend each session.
The parties agree to work together to minimize travel time and the impact of release time on individual employees. To that end, in lieu of attending the SMMC New Employee Orientation, the Union may schedule, at the new employee’s supervisor’s discretion, up to thirty (30) minutes with each employee to meet directly with them to provide information. Release time requested for this activity will be reviewed and approved by Director of Human Resources under normal release time processes, and shall not be unreasonably denied.
2.9 Employee Roster
The County shall supply Union, at no cost, a monthly electronic and sortable list report of the names and classifications of all employees represented by Union, indicating whether Union dues are being withheld from their pay checks as of the date the report was prepared, whether names were added to or deleted from the previous reports, and whether each such change in status was due to any type of leave of absence, termination or withdrawal from the Union.
2.10 The County shall notify the Union of employees who are on an unpaid leave of absence status in excess of twenty-eight (28) days.