Are your employer and union adequately informing you of your newly granted “Janus Rights”?

1) Agency-fee payers: Per the June 2018 Supreme Court “Janus” decision, anyone who has been forced to pay “agency fees” or “fair share fees” to the union that represents them, even if they opted not to become a member of that union, should immediately see a STOP to those fees being automatically deducted from their paychecks. As part of the ruling, such fee-paying non-members are now legally presumed to be opted-out of choosing to continue paying these fees. We would like to know if and when such fees are/were no longer being deducted from your paycheck by your employer.
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2) All public employees should know their rights: Now that there is a clear financial benefit to deciding not to pay union dues, with no risk of losing your job, many union members may decide to opt-out of their designated union. Many others may decide to remain a member. It is “your pay“, therefore it is “your say“.
See FAQ’s at the bottom of this page. Each union sets its own process for how and when such exits may occur. We would like to know if your union has made this process unnecessarily difficult or obscure, so as to prevent as many workers as possible from exiting. 
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If you choose to opt-out of your current union, please click here or go to https://www.mypaymysay.com/state/ri/ 
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If you would like more information and want to be included on future outreach communications about your rights as a public servant, please complete the inquiry form below:

INQUIRY FORM

FAQs & Key Points

Why JANUS is important to teachers & education reform (click for story)

 

Is the Janus case ruling simple to understand?

YES. Public employees can no longer be forced to financially support a union that they do not want to be a member of. Generally speaking, workers are still covered under their bargaining agreements (this is known as “exclusive representation” and it is something unions fight for) and the contract will still apply.

Approximately 5 million unionized government workers in 22 states are impacted by the Janus decision.

Currently, 28 states already grant the “right-to-work” without forced unionization to most or all public workers, while about 5 million workers in the 22 states without these right-to-work laws still had to pay their unions regardless of whether not the unions are serving their best interests. The Janus case changed that – all public employees now have a choice.

Can I be fired for not being in the union?

NO. Being a member of a union is completely voluntary. You cannot legally be fired from your job or be penalized for belonging to a union or not belonging to a union. Before the Supreme Court’s Janus decision, your union could require nonmembers to pay an agency fee … but this is now illegal.

Do some government unions send their own members to collections for deciding to stop paying dues?

One union said it would use “any legal means” to combat members who want to leave. If you opt out and experience any problems – just let us know – legal support is available through our national partner at MyPayMySay.com .

Can workers, who technically have already opted out of union membership, still be forced to pay to support union activities?

NO. It’s true that unionized public employees could already choose not to technically be members of the union organized in their workplace. However, these employees were still forced to financially support the unions by paying them what’s typically called an “agency fee” — supposedly for funding general operation costs for the union, but often used for political purposes some members do not support. However, the ruling in favor of Janus means that public employees can no longer be forced to financially support a union that they do not want to be a member of.

Do teachers need a union to have insurance?

NO. You still keep the same health insurance you have now. Further, liability insurance can be purchased individually, and there are many options available for employees who choose to resign their union membership, including the Association of American Educators, who already insure thousands of teachers nationwide.