FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
[Interim Dues Structure Ratification Notice]
[Interim Dues Structure]
[Interim Planning Budget]
[Accountability & Transparency]
[Ratification Vote & Timeframes]
[Union Membership]
INTERIM PLANNING BUDGET

1) What are the expected expenses of our Union?

2) Why does part of my dues go to IFPTE and how is it used?

3) Will our funds be used for political activities?

4) Why does the union need to budget a conference phone and teleconference line?

5) Why is the union budgeting for travel and training?

6) What is union liability insurance and bonding?

7) Why is the Union budgeting items that apply to the bargaining unit instead of just union members?
1) What are the expected expenses of our Union?
The main benefits of a union for those of us here at GAO are the ability to negotiate pay – which we did earlier this year (4.49 percent floor guarantee) – and resolve grievances. Our dues will be necessary to provide this and other important services to GAO employees, which will be used to make GAO a better place to work. For more information on our projected budget, click here.
 

Breakdown of Expected Union Expenses

(33%) Contribution to IFPTE: IFPTE charges a per capita tax per member per month ($6.85), which covers services IFPTE provides such as negotiation and legal support, and helps IFPTE organize new unions like ours.  Note: Our dues will NOT go toward political activities.

(26%) Arbitrators, mediators, and legal counsel (e.g., handling grievances and negotiations)

(28%) Administrative (e.g., teleconference line, insurance, website, P.O. Box, office supplies)

(12%) Membership development (e.g., training union representatives on legal issues/grievances)

Grievance and Arbitration: One of the important benefits of having a union contract is a binding dispute resolution process known as grievance and arbitration procedure, which will result from negotiations between the union and management, and be incorporated into a binding contract between the parties.

•A grievance is a complaint by an individual employee, the union or the employer and may concern a violation of a GAO Order, a law protecting employees (e.g., anti-discrimination laws), employee health and safety, performance and promotion decisions, employee discipline, or substantive rights granted by the union contract, among other things. This dispute resolution process is not only designed to encourage employees, managers, our union and management to work through differences in a positive and productive manner, but, when the parties involved are not able to work it out, to provide for neutral third-party adjudication.

•Arbitration is an adjudication process that relies upon professional arbitrators to hold evidentiary hearings and render decisions that are binding on all parties to the arbitration.
In order to provide the benefit of a contract Grievance and Arbitration procedure, the union has to pay certain costs. Among the most significant expenses are the cost of professional services, such as legal advice and representation, and mediation and arbitration services. The union will typically engage legal counsel for advice and where appropriate, to appear on the union’s behalf. In the event the parties use a mediator to assist in grievance settlement or an arbitrator to adjudicate a grievance that can not be settled, the union and management may split the professional service fees charged by the mediator or arbitrator. It should be noted that our union’s elected leaders are ultimately responsible for determining whether to pursue employee or union complaints that would involve the expenditure of union funds, in order to ensure that the union’s financial resources are allocated in the best interests of the bargaining unit and on a fair, non-arbitrary and non-discriminatory basis.
The union also uses the dues to build reserve funds for arbitrators, mediators, and lawyers. Arbitration, mediation, or legal counsel normally is not a recurring cost per month, but instead is needed when a situation arises. Hence, we need to build a legal reserve fund since the cost associated with using this service is expensive. For example, the use of arbitration can cost $10,000 or more.
2) Why does part of my dues go to IFPTE and how is it used?
Each union affiliated with IFPTE pays a monthly per-member fee (known as the “per capita tax”) to IFPTE, set by a vote of delegates from each IFPTE affiliated union. It should be noted that the vast majority of dues collected by IFPTE affiliated unions remain with the affiliate. IFPTE allocates per capita tax revenues to the following functions.

•Organizing employees who wish to form a union.

•Negotiation of first contracts for newly organized employee groups.

•Preparing and presenting training materials.

•Assistance in emergencies or particularly complex situations that are beyond the resources or expertise of the affiliated local union.

•Coordinating with other labor organizations or interest groups, where appropriate.

•Although IFPTE does engage in legislative advocacy on behalf of affiliated unions, per capita tax revenues are not used to make political contributions. IFPTE recognizes that GAO employees – like CRS employees – are bound by standards of impartiality and non-partisanship in their official work for Congress. In the event IFPTE endorses political candidates or supports legislative or political positions, our union will abstain from all political endorsements and political actions and may elect to abstain from participating in legislative advocacy as it deems appropriate in the professional interests of GAO employees. Such actions or activities by IFPTE are not on behalf of, nor representative of, our union or its employees. For more information on political activities, see question 3 .
3) Will our funds be used for political activities?
No, our dues will not go toward any partisan political activity. Our sister agency’s union, at the Congressional Research Service (CRS), has an agreement with IFPTE that none of their dues can be used for political activities, and we have the same agreement with IFPTE to ensure that GAO maintains its independent status so we can continue to work for Congress
Although IFPTE does engage in legislative advocacy on behalf of affiliated unions, per capita tax revenues are not used to make political contributions. The only way IFPTE can directly contribute to a candidate is through their political action committee, which is maintained by a separate fund consisting solely of voluntary, individual contributions (i.e., no dues money).
In the event IFPTE endorses political candidates or supports legislative or political positions, our union will abstain from all political endorsements and political actions and may elect to abstain from participating in legislative advocacy as it deems appropriate in the professional interests of GAO employees. Such actions or activities by IFPTE are not on behalf of, nor representative of, our union or its employees.
4) Why does the union need to budget a conference phone and teleconference line?
We need a quality conference phone with extension for internal union business meetings (e.g., council meetings), but we currently do not have the ability to use GAO teleconference services. Instead, our union has been relying on IFPTE to provide us a teleconference number.
5) Why is the union budgeting for travel and training?
A small amount of travel funds was budgeted for major meetings, such as sending a small delegation to an IFPTE conference or flying in a field staff for a major grievance issue.
Our future governing body and representatives, who will be elected after our Constitution is ratified, must receive legal and mediation training to handle grievances and disputes.
6) What is union liability insurance and bonding?
Bonding is a federal requirement in order to protect member’s funds from internal theft.
Union liability insurance is to protect the union and its officers/representatives from lawsuits.
7) Why is the Union budgeting items that apply to the bargaining unit instead of just union members?
U.S. labor law requires federal-sector unions to provide the same services to all employees that they provide to dues-paying union members. If the Union negotiates an increase in pay, it will apply to all employees in the bargaining unit – not just union members. Also, if we negotiate for a mediation and arbitration process, everyone within the bargaining unit can request this service. However, only union members can participate in negotiations with management by voting and running for union positions, as well as providing comments, volunteering on committees, or voting to ratify contracts or union policies.