The Higher Education Employer-Employee Relations Act (HEERA) was amended in January 2000 to establish an "agency shop" at the University of California (HEERA §3583.5). By law, UC employees who are represented by a union but do not join and pay membership dues are required to pay a "fair share" fee through mandatory paycheck deductions. The deductions are paid to the union to help cover the union's costs for negotiations, contract administration, and related representational activities.

Fair share fees must be paid by all employees in the IX Unit who are not members of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) whether or not they support the union. The only exception under the law is for an employee "who is a member of a bona fide religion, body or sect that has historically held conscientious objections to joining or financially supporting public employee organizations" (HEERA §3584). Employees may apply to the AFT for conscientious objector (CO) status. Once the AFT grants CO status, the employee may select one of the charities agreed to by the AFT and UC, to which the fees will be paid (see chart below).  

Employees who wish to apply for conscientious objector status should contact AFT directly.

AFT DUES STRUCTURE AND FAIR SHARE FEES (effective May 1, 2012)

The full text of HEERA is available online here.

Find more information on Fair Share at the University

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