Any AFSCME  Union Employees online?  My husband is a member and we want to request that his union contributions be refunded for none arbitration reasons.  The window to do so is April 9th through the 15th and we can't find the mailing addresses.  

Patty

You should be able to find their address on the Web. Their office is in Salem.  You need to send them a letter or fax requesting your money back.  This is a refund for money used for political purposes.  My refund is about 1/3 of what they collect.  Oregon sends them out 2X a year, so you've already missed 1/2 of the year.

Ken Allen is the person in charge of AFSCME in Oregon and the letter is addressed to him.

Name, SSN, where you work.  Clearly state you object to them taking your money for political purposes and want that money back. The lady in the office has always been very nice to talk to about this.

Please note: I had to withdraw from the union in order to do this; you can't vote for contract, etc.  You become a "fair share" person.  They are still required to represent you.

You must send in a letter every year in January to keep getting you money back.

Flame suit on!

Quoted: You should be able to find their address on the Web. Their office is in Salem.  You need to send them a letter or fax requesting your money back.  This is a refund for money used for political purposes.  My refund is about 1/3 of what they collect.  Oregon sends them out 2X a year, so you've already missed 1/2 of the year. Ken Allen is the person in charge of AFSCME in Oregon and the letter is addressed to him. Name, SSN, where you work.  Clearly state you object to them taking your money for political purposes and want that money back. The lady in the office has always been very nice to talk to about this. Please note: I had to withdraw from the union in order to do this; you can't vote for contract, etc.  You become a "fair share" person.  They are still required to represent you. You must send in a letter every year in January to keep getting you money back. Flame suit on!

Are you sure?  I thought we only had a small window of time.  It was published in the national magazine we get periodically but with out thinking I tossed that in the burn file.

I can't find anywhere on the Oregon site or the National site where to send our letters too.

Oregon AFSCME Council 75
3831 Fairview Industrial DR. SE
Suite 100
Salem, OR 97302

(503) 370 - 2522

or (800) 521 - 5954  or maybe 5959 can't read my notes

All the above is from their web site

You want to talk to a female named Sam Austin.  She's very nice and will answer your questions.

If your other wants to remain a union member but get his money back from the political use, the union gets to "cook" the books and he'll only get a couple of bucks back.  If he goes "fair share" the union must use federal guidelines for accounting and the refund is much more.

My January check, issued on March 13, 2006. was $145.44  That's money for bullets and powder rather than left wingers.

how does he go fair share?  What is the address for the federal address to request contributions?  In the past I've sent letters to both the state and to the federal unions.

Patty

*ETA* Are you absolutely certain that this is the address to send the refund requests too?  From the way they have it written in the magazine its much more difficult.  It really irks me to know end.

Yes usually in the Jan AFSCME monthly magazine they list the " Procedure" for how to " Try " to petition them to not use your dues for political means. I'am sure it is on the AFSCME website too.

Basically you have to send about 3 certified letters in writing to your local/state/National with why you feel they shouldn't spend yor $ and who they send it to that you don't like. For any Arbitrary reason they can deny your request and you can appeal by repeating the process.

Basically they make the process so difficult and not cost effective that no one even bothers.... I don't know about OR but the people running the WA are a bunch of Stalinist Dirtbags.....

Quoted: Yes usually in the Jan AFSCME monthly magazine they list the " Procedure" for how to " Try " to petition them to not use your dues for political means. I'am sure it is on the AFSCME website too. Basically you have to send about 3 certified letters in writing to your local/state/National with why you feel they shouldn't spend yor $ and who they send it to that you don't like. For any Arbitrary reason they can deny your request and you can appeal by repeating the process. Basically they make the process so difficult and not cost effective that no one even bothers.... I don't know about OR but the people running the WA are a bunch of Stalinist Dirtbags.....

THis is my experiencas well.  If LeonardC has more productive info, I'd like to hear it in detail.

Name of person to contact.  Phone number of person to contact.  You need nothing more from me or anyone else.

Give Sam a call and all your questions can be answered.

Don't get confused.  It is "possible" to get back all your union dues, but not likely (certain religious beliefs, etc.).  They are entitled to take out union dues for union work.  Doesn't matter if you are a member or "fair share".  It is only the money for political work that you can object to and get back.  Federal law says they have to give you back your money if you object to them using it for political work, but only what they spend on political work.

When I started this, I talked to Sam in Salem, sent one fax, and some time latter got a check.  The next January I got a thick envelope telling me of the wonderful things the union does for me and how ungrateful I was, but if I wanted to continue being fair share and get a refund for the political money, I needed to send them another letter.  Every January I send them my letter.  "Please, Please give me my money back!"

Interesting.  I'll give Sam a call.  I wonder if I can - since its my husband that's the employee.  None the less I'll give it a try.  I am skeptic to say the least.  We've been doing this for about 3 years now [you'd think I'd be smart enough to save the addresses] and it gets more complicated each time, or so it seems.

Patty

I think you will enjoy your talk with Sam.  Let us know how it works out.