ARTICLE 35 – UNION PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS
A. Union Payroll Deduction
- Union Payroll Deduction. Upon notice from Teamsters Local 2010 (“Union”) that an employee in the UC MERCED Skilled Crafts Bargaining Unit has authorized payroll deduction, the University agrees to deduct 1.44% of an employee’s in-unit retirement gross pay and remit that amount to Teamsters Local
2010. The Union notification of union payroll deduction authorization and/or stoppage is submitted by way of an Excel Template (refer to Appendix L of this agreement). For timing of Union notification and University administrative process, refer to Section B below.
- Union Payroll Deduction Remittance and Administrative Fees. The University further agrees to remit monthly to the Union al authorized union payroll deductions minus the administrative fees. The cost of processing the manual check or electronic transfer of remittance monies shall be ten dollars ($10.00). In addition, the University will charge the Union seven cents ($0.07) per employee for whom deductions are being made, covering calculations and reporting administrative fees.
- Correction of Errors.
If the University fails to make appropriate authorized payroll deductions, the University shall correct the deduction amounts by deducting the correct amount from the employee’s next scheduled pay date following thirty (30) calendar days from the Union notice of failure to take appropriate union payroll deduction.
If the University’s error resulted in deductions less than the correct amount, the University shall make the additional required deductions to make up the difference between the actual and correct amounts in accordance with current payroll policy regarding additional deductions. However, additional deductions shall not exceed two times the normal deduction amount in any given pay period.
If the error results in payment of more than the correct amount and the Union has received the funds, the Union shall reimburse the employees accordingly.
If the parties cannot agree on the amount of the appropriate deduction only the Union may file a grievance.
4. Changes to Dues Deductions Percentage Rate. If Teamsters Local 2010 changes the deduction percentage rate to be deducted from the employees’ pay, it shall notify the University in writing forty-five (45) calendar days prior to the effective date of the change. Changes to the dues percentage rate is allowable once every twelve (12) months with no cost to the Union for programming changes. If the Union decides to make the change to the percentage rate more than once in a 12-month period, then the Union shall pay for the system programming changes at the same rates that apply to other employee organizations described in the University Accounting Manual.
5. Political Contribution Program – DRIVE. Dues paying members in the UC Merced Skilled Craft Bargaining Unit are eligible to participate in the voluntary deduction for DRIVE, a Teamsters Local 2010 political contribution program. This deduction is an ongoing deduction and not a one-time deduction. The Union will notify the University when a dues paying member volunteers to participate in this program by including them in the file referenced in Section B below. The authorization for participation is between the Union and the member. The University will refer members to the Union for questions regarding this voluntary deduction.
6. Indemnification. The Union shall indemnify the University for any claims made by any employee(s) in the UC Merced Skilled Crafts Bargaining Unit for deductions made by the University in reliance on the Union’s certification or on the Union’s representation as to whether deductions for the Union were properly canceled or changed. The University shall promptly provide notice to the Union of any claim, demand, suit or other action for which it is seeking indemnification.
7. Agency Shop Fee. The Parties agree to reopen this Article for the purpose of bargaining over payroll deduction of Union dues and fair share fees in the event there is a change in the law regarding payroll deduction of Union dues and fair share fees.
B. Electronic Transmission of Deduction Information
- Certification and Maintenance of Deduction Information.
- The Union will certify to the University to begin deductions or to stop deductions. For bargaining unit members, deductions shall be from in-unit earnings based on retirement gross earnings.
- The Union will either deliver an electronic file in Excel (.xls) format to UC Merced’s appropriate office or upload files to the FTP website, in accordance with Section 2 below. The current process is to provide to UC Merced’s appropriate office. The University shall provide to the Union at least a thirty (30) calendar days’ notice in advance of any administrative process changes in the delivery of the electronic Excel file.
- Based on employees in this bargaining unit being paid bi weekly, the union payroll deductions file, noted in Section B.1.b above, shall be transmitted to the University no later than the Friday before the end of the pay period in order to affect the next payroll with a pay begin date that falls after the date the deduction certification is received from the Union.
- The Union will solely maintain the deduction authorization, signed by the employee from whose wages the deduction is to be made. The Union shall not be required to provide a copy of the member’s authorization to the University as the arrangement is between the Union and the member. Employees will be directed to the Union should there be any questions from employees.
- If an employee is separated from the University or transferred out of the UCM Skilled Craft Bargaining Unit, union payroll deductions will be stopped.
- The Union list to be submitted in the format provided in Appendix L shall include the following:
- Location / Business Unit Code – Insert Code 10 for UCM Campus
- Location Name (Campus or Medical Center) – Insert UCM Campus
- Bargaining Unit – Insert KM
- Employee Identification Number
- Employee Name (Last, First)
- Action Code (A=Add, C=Change*, OR S=Stop) – Change is only applicable to changing DRIVE Amount
- Deduction Code (D=Dues , OR PA=Political Action/DRIVE)
- Indicate Ongoing Deduction Dollar Amount for Political Action
- Union Security
Individual requests to cancel payroll deduction shall be directed to Teamsters Local 2010. The authorization for payroll deduction shall remain in full force and effect until Teamsters Local 2010 informs the University payroll deductions are to be stopped. Such notice is to be communicated as defined in Section B above.