| Union Members
|
Agency Fee Payers
|
|
Covered by union contract; can get help from union with contractual matters
|
Covered by union contract; can get help from union with contractual matters |
| Can participate in all MSP votes |
Can only vote on contract ratification |
| Can serve on MSP committees & help set union’s priorities |
Can hold no union office, nor influence union’s direction |
|
Are covered by $1,000,000 insurance policy which protects against lawsuits connected with your employment |
Excluded from coverage |
| Benefit from group purchasing discounts on auto, homeowners & life insurance, mortgage refinancing, vision care, tax preparation |
No benefits |
| Have access to reduced admissions to over 1,000 museums, theaters, stores, ski areas, & more |
No reduced admissions |
| May receive free legal advice and representation in areas such as employment discrimination, unemployment, retirement, civil rights violations, privacy issues, workers compensation |
No free legal services |
Are entitled to assistance in defraying legal costs incurred in
defending against charges of crimes alleged to have occurred in the course of employment |
No assistance |
|
Have access to reduced-fee legal services for non-employment legal problems |
No access to this program |
This past year, the agency fee was $4 per week less than the full union dues rate. The largest difference in cost between agency fee and union membership is for the political advocacy that the union engages in. For example, every spring we take faculty, librarians, students, and other staff to Boston to lobby the legislature to provide adequate funding for the university. By law, that counts as something that union members, but not agency fee payers, pay for. But most people on campus see this as one of the most important things the union does to try to create and maintain the best possible university.
