Volume 45 Number 4
There’s value in joining
Do you know colleagues who aren’t members of your local faculty association? If so, maybe it’s time to convince them to join.
Need a hook for your sales pitch?
Try telling them about the benefits they can receive by joining, from discounts to Disneyland to cheap movie tickets. Tell them about the legal representation they can get if they receive a pink slip. Appeal to their altruism in being part of an organization that makes a difference. Point out that they can vote and have an impact on the decisions of their local association.
Conduct campaigns
“It’s true, all faculty on campus benefit from the work of the union. That’s why we are encouraging our chapters to conduct membership campaigns to demonstrate the value of joining,” said Vice President Lynette Nyaggah.
Faculty who are not association members are considered Agency Fee Payers. While they are required to pay for the benefits they receive from collective bargaining, they have the right to request a rebate for expenditures not directly related to collective bargaining.
Under state law SB 1960 passed in 2000, public school and college employees who are represented by a union may simply give a 30-day notice to the district that they wish to have non-union members they represent pay a fair share service fee. Up until that time, whether a chapter was agency fee – requiring all faculty to belong to the union or pay their fair share – was negotiated with the district. SB 1960 removed the negotiation requirement and now allows for faculty unions to include all unit members.
Many have fair share
Many CCA/CTA chapters already have implemented fair share/agency fee without objection. Faculty members understand the concept of paying their fair share to gain professional representation. But CCA maintains chapters are stronger if they have as much “buy-in” as possible from faculty, which is why local chapters are being encouraged to conduct membership drives.
“We want our entire faculty to know what they get with their membership. It’s worth joining to receive legal representation alone – especially as we begin to face lay-offs. But there are a lot more benefits. In fact, for part-time instructors, the benefits they can receive from membership more than pays for their dues,” Nyaggah said.
Other benefits include professional development training and conferences, credit union services, health information and a Well Baby Program, home and renter insurance and a first-time home buyers program. And those are just some of the personal benefits available.
“As a higher education affiliate of the California Teachers Association, we belong to the strongest advocate for public education in the state. Increasing our membership builds a stronger local association and gives us a stronger voice in Sacramento and beyond. It’s that simple,” Nyaggah said. “We want our members to be engaged, involved and understand the reasons why a strong union benefits everyone.” “