June 6, 2007

UPTE has issued it's Agency Fee Notice for the July1, 2007 to June 30, 2008 period. For all of those who have entrusted me with their objection/challenge letters, I have given them to my process server who will check their letters and serve them upon the union before July 1, 2007.

A few people were concerned that their letter did not provide all the information that UPTE demanded. UPTE can ask for your work location, social security number, etc. They can also ask for your bank account number and your mothers' maiden name. They can ask for anything they want. If you do not provide what you consider private and personal information and they deny you a refund, UPTE can always defend their refusal in front of the state labor board. It is easy for you to prove that you are an agency fee payer with a legitimate objection/challenge and if UPTE wants to deny this based upon irrelevant requirements, they can defend their position in front of the board.

For those of you who are agency fee payers, UPTE has sent you a package with 2 documents. I appreciate those of you who have informed me of this fact and if you have not received this, let me know. Several people have asked me the meaning of Note 11, page 20 of the document titled UPTE Annual Report. All I can say is that it does not paint a pretty financial picture.

If UPTE loses a decertification vote by one or more of its bargaining units, they would lose about $2,000,000 to $4,000,000 of income. Hard to swallow this and still have enough money to pay all their creditors, debt holders and other obligations. If you know anything about accounting or have a friend who understands all this like I do, ask them to explain this to you.

Most of us who have provided objection/challenge letters for the July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006 period have been notified of a hearing in Oakland, CA on July 24, 2007 in front of arbitrator William Riker. There is no requirement that you attend this hearing or hire someone to represent you. I have raised a number of issues regarding the hearing and it may not take place as scheduled. However, if the hearing is not rescheduled, I ask those of you objectors/challengers in the Bay area to take the time if you can to attend the hearing. It is important that you see for yourself the application of justice in an arbitration hearing.