noaffilationQA (PDF)

&

On The PEU
Local 1 Affiliation
With AFSCME
HERE’S THE INFORMATION YOU
WON’T HEAR FROM LOCAL 1!

The following is based on actual questions from our coworkers:

Q

I don’t know anything about
this affiliation deal. Can you
provide me with a summary?

A: About a month ago, PEU Local 1 sent out
a letter to members informing us that they
were starting talks to affiliate (become part of)
a large labor union called AFSCME (American
Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees). The reason, according to PEU
Local 1, is primarily financial – it cannot
continue under the current dues structure
because it has lost a third of its membership in
the past few years.
More recently additional information has been
provided by PEU Local 1 via postings on their
website. According to the website information,
the PEU Local 1 Board of Directors will
consider the affiliation at Board of Directors
meetings on August 16 and September 20.
Then the matter will proceed to the
“membership for ratification.” The affiliation
agreement that has been negotiated increases
our dues, allows the current staff and Board
structure to remain, and retains PEU Local 1
as the entity that handles grievances and
negotiates contracts.

Q

Will my dues change if there
is an affiliation with
AFSCME?

A: Yes, our dues will nearly double. According
to the information provided by PEU Local 1,
our dues will climb from 1 percent to 1.8
percent by 2020. So assuming you currently
pay $50 in dues, by 2020 you will pay $90 a
month. It should be noted that $12.90 of your
dues will be paid to AFSCME and not go
toward any direct services to you.

Q

Do members get any
additional value for the
increased dues?

A: Not much. Under the affiliation agreement
PEU Local 1 is affiliating directly, as an
independent entity, with the AFSCME
International Union. AFSCME International
does not provide the most important services:
grievance handling; contract negotiations; and
addressing the other day-to-day issues that
arise for public employees. These important
direct services will continue to be provided by
the existing Local 1 staff. There are no new or
different representation resources in this deal.

Continued

Q
Q:

Can I still choose another
union if there is an
affiliation?

A: No! We lose our ability to choose another
union and will be permanently stuck with PEU
Local 1. Because of agreements between
unions, if PEU Local 1 affiliates with AFSCME,
other unions are off limits – we lose our right to
decertify PEU Local 1 and vote in another
union. In other words, after the affiliation we
are permanently stuck with PEU Local 1. In
fact, the PEU Local 1 literature makes clear
the main reason for the affiliation is to protect
them against other unions – or in other words,
to stop us, the employees, from democratically
choosing another union.

Q

Hasn’t PEU Local 1 been
affiliated before with
AFSCME?

A: Yes and it was a failure. Last time we
looked on the PEU Local 1 website in the
“About Us” section, it stated: “At one point,
Local 1 was affiliated with the American
Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees (AFSCME), but disaffiliated shortly

thereafter because members wanted more
direct democracy and more local control.”

Q

Who are the winners in a PEU
Local 1 affiliation with
AFSCME?

A: The clear winners are the Local 1 General
Manager and other staff who protect their highpaying jobs by blocking our ability to seek
other unions and associations to represent us.
We believe this is the real reason behind the
affiliation. In addition, Local 1 is getting a $3
million payment for the affiliation.

Q

What’s the downside to this
affiliation?

A: There are many – this is a BAD DEAL for
members for the following reasons:
1. Increased cost – almost doubling our
dues;
2. No change or added value to the
services we currently receive;
3. Loss of our ability to choose a new union,
permanently trapped in PEU Local 1; and
4. It’s been tried and failed before.

- Brought To You By The No-Affiliation Committee A grassroots workers committee that believes the affiliation is a BAD DEAL