State workers to reduce nonmember union fees

AUGUSTA – Under fire by nonunion workers over mandatory fees, the Maine State Employees Association has decided to lower service charges to be collected from state workers who are covered by the union contract but are not members of the union.

As of July 1, all nonunion state employees were subject to a service fee to cover the costs of collective bargaining. Twenty workers are suing the state and union in U.S. District Court, saying proper procedures were not followed when the fees were introduced.

One of the complaints by nonunion workers is that their fees would go toward the union’s organizing and political efforts.

Leaders of the union announced Thursday they’ll lower the biweekly fees for nonunion members from $6.70 to $4.47. Because the union is phasing in the “fair share” fees for nonmembers, they will double the following year.

The Maine State Employees Association contends it’s legal for the union to collect the fees to cover organizing expenses.

“But this is Maine. And in Maine, if people have this kind of disagreement, we try to work things out,” said Tim Belcher, MSEA executive director and legal counsel.

An attorney representing the workers said the employees have a good case against the state and union. “I think the union here has clearly violated your rights,” said W. James Young, a National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation attorney in Virginia.

Belcher said the state addressed the issue of political activities by dropping them from the fee. Also, the union wants to make it easier for workers to apply for status as religious objectors. Those people would still have to pay the fee, but it would go to charity.