ARTICLE 35
Dues Withholding
SECTION 1. Employees who are members of the Union are permitted to pay dues through the authorization of voluntary allotments from their compensation. This article covers all employees:
A. Who are members in good standing in the Union;
B. Who voluntarily complete Standard Form 1187 , Request and Authorization for Voluntary Allotment of Compensation, for payment of Employee Organization Dues; and
C. Who receive compensation sufficient to cover the total amount of the allotment.
The provisions of this Article are subject to, and will be governed by, applicable Federal laws, rules, and regulations issued by the Office of Personnel Management, the Federal Labor Relations Authority, and the Department of Commerce, and will be modified by any future amendments thereto.
SECTION 2. The Union is responsible for:
A. Purchasing and distributing Standard Form 1187;
B. Notifying the NOAA Labor Relations Office in writing of:
(1) Current authorized names and titles of officials who will make the necessary certification of Standard Form 1187 in accordance with this Article.
(2) Any change in the amount of dues to be deducted.
(3) Any employee who is no longer in good standing within ten days of the date of such determination.
C. Forwarding properly executed and certified Standard Form 1187 to the NOAA Labor Relations Office on a timely basis; Management's internal distribution system will not be used for this purpose.
D. Keeping the NOAA Labor Relations Office informed of the name, title, and address of the allottee to whom remittance should be sent. Until further notice, the remittance will be sent by electronic fund transfer to NWSEO's financial institution per Direct Deposit Sign-up Standard Form 1199A executed October 12, 1989.
E. Keeping the NOAA Labor Relations Office informed of the allottee to whom checks shall be payable. Until further notice this will be:
National Weather Service Employees Organization
601 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Suite 900
Washington, D.C. 20004
SECTION 3. NOAA is responsible for:
A. Permitting and processing voluntary allotment of dues in accordance with this Article;
B. Withholding dues on a bi-weekly basis;
C. Notifying the Union when an employee is not eligible for an allotment. The NOAA Labor Relations office is responsible for this notification;
D. Withholding new amounts of dues upon certification from the authorized Union official;
E. Transmitting remittance checks each pay period to the allottee designated by the Union, including a list of employees for whom deductions were made. Each remittance list shall include the name of each employee for whom a deduction has been authorized during the current pay period and:
(1) The amount withheld;
(2) The employee's Social Security Number; and
(3) The reason for no deduction, such as, "wages inadequate," "organization cancellation," "employee separated," "temporary promotion," or "canceled due to promotion."
SECTION 4. A. The amount of the dues to be deducted as allotments from compensation will normally not be changed more frequently than once every 12 months.
B. Management may provide reminders to employees of their anniversary date on their check stubs once each year.
C. Administrative errors in remittance checks will be corrected and adjusted in the next remittance check to be issued to the employee organization. If the Union is not scheduled to receive a remittance check after discovery of an error, the gaining party agrees promptly to refund the erroneous remittance.
SECTION 5. The NOAA Labor Relations Office will be responsible for coordinating the actions described under this Article prior to payroll processing. The effective dates for actions under this Agreement are as follows:
Starting dues withholding: First pay period after date of receipt of properly executed and certified Standard Form 1187 by Payroll Office. An employee must remain on payroll deduction for one year after commencement of dues withholding.
Changes in amounts of dues: First pay period after receipt of certification in Payroll Office.
Revocation by employee: First pay period after receipt of properly executed (and countersigned by the NWSEO President) Standard Form 1188 or Request for Revocation Memorandum from the employee.
Termination due to loss of membership in good standing: First pay period after receipt of notification in Payroll Office.
Termination due to loss of exclusive recognition on which allotment was based: First pay period after date of receipt of notification in Payroll Office.
Termination due to separation or movement to an area not covered by this Agreement: First pay period after date of receipt of notification in Payroll Office.
SECTION 6. The Union is responsible for informing its members of the voluntary nature of the system for the allotment of employee organization dues and of the conditions under which the allotment may be revoked once a year. Employees may revoke their dues once a year by close of business on the employee's membership anniversary, but not earlier than the 14-day period immediately preceding that date. Timely and properly executed requests for revocation of dues shall be submitted to the Union, signed by the NWSEO president, and forwarded to the appropriate administrative support center for processing. An untimely request shall be returned to the employee.
SECTION 7. Union grievances on alleged violations of this Article will be submitted by the President, NWSEO, or designee, to the NOAA Labor Relations Specialist within 30 calendar days of the action or condition giving rise to the action. Decisions by the NOAA Labor Relations Specialist shall be rendered in writing no later than 30 calendar days following receipt of the grievance.
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