Originally Posted by
WeaselBoy
I heard that 2/3 of you all have decided to be non-union members. While the union is still required to administer your contract, it does not require the union to allow you to participate in elections.
From the NLRB website:
If you are not a member, you are still fully covered by the collective bargaining agreement that was negotiated between your employer and the union, and the union is obligated to represent you. Any benefits that are provided to you by your employer pursuant to the collective bargaining agreement (e.g., wages, seniority, vacations, pensions, health insurance)are not affected by your nonmembership. (If the union offers some "members-only" benefits, you might be excluded from receiving those.) If you are not a member, you may not be able to participate in union elections or meetings, vote in collective bargaining ratification elections, or participate in other "internal" union activities. However, you cannot be disciplined by the union for anything you do while not a member.
So, now you have turned 2/3 of your members into ineligible candidates/ voters.
From the IBT National Constitution:
Article II Section 4 (4) (c). In newly chartered Local Unions, chartered as a result of split-off or merger, a candidate must be a member of the newly chartered Local Union, must have worked in the jurisdiction for a total period of two (2) years, and for a total period of twenty-four (24) consecutive months prior to nomination must be in continuous good standing on a cumulative basis in the newly chartered Local Union and the Local Union from which the newly chartered Local Union was split-off or with which the newly chartered Local Union was merged.
Thanks for your post.
With regard to your first point, everyone at Frontier understands the rules. I believe that less than 25 pilots have become IBT members. The remaining 675 understand what it means to not join the IBT. My point is that I believe the IBT should have done something more than simply send the Frontier pilots an invoice. If the IBT really and truly wanted Frontier pilot participation, they should have communicated the importance of the E-Board election process and communicated the "benefits" of becoming a member of the IBT.
When RAH has a newhire class, does the IBT visit the class and welcome them into the union or do they send them a folder with a bill? Why should the Frontier pilots be any different?
To your second point, I do not think Article IV applies to this situation. Was Local 357 "rechartered" on June 28th? Was FAPA a "Local" in the eyes of the IBT before June 28th? Even if it does apply, how do we reconcile the 24 continuous months requirement if no dues could have possibly been paid in July?