NTEU Chapter 68 Andover, MA

FAQ's

(Frequently Asked Questions)

How do I become a member?
What do I get for the dues I pay?
Who can join?
How much does it cost?
How much of my dues goes to support politcal groups or activities?
But wait--I want to help NTEU be politically active!
What is a grievance?
What is the "bargaining unit?"
I'm a seasonal employee. Do I have to pay dues when I go non-duty?
What are my rights?
When should I get in touch with my steward or representative?
Who is my steward/representative?
Why should I become a member?
Why do members have to pay dues? You already represent me. Why should I join?
If I'm not a member. Do you still have to represent me?
Why does NTEU only select members for task forces or teams? Does NTEU ever select non members?
I requested to be on a task force and was rejected because I am not a member. How can you do that?
I disagree with union decisions. Why should I join?
What has the union done for me lately?
I don't like unions. Why should I join?
All of this talk about contracts is confusing. Who can help me understand?
Can NTEU strike?
I've never been in trouble. What's in it for me?
Unions don't matter. Management does what management wants to do.
How do I begin to make things better?
I have decided to leave the union. What do I do?

How do I become a member?

Joining NTEU is simple. Either drop by the union office in the North Building or contact your area representative or steward and ask for a membership form. (You can download a copy of the form here . The form authorizes personnel to deduct dues from your paycheck. Once you've signed that, you're on your way to all the benefits of membership.

What do I get for the dues I pay?

In a word, "lots."
Members pay dues which cover the cost of bargaining and contract support, essentially the costs of running the national organization and the local chapters. NTEU also negotiates contracts, lobbies Congress, and represents employees. Dues cover the cost of litigation and arbitration. NTEU maintains a field operation of legal advisors to support the needs of bargaining unit employees represented by the locals. Check out the other areas of the website for all the other benefits membership brings you.

Who can join?

All non-management employees are eligible to join NTEU. Some secretarial positions are ineligible to join because of their access to certain types of employee information.

How much does it cost?

NTEU is proud of the fairness of its sliding dues schedule. See the dues chart for details.

How much of my dues goes to support political groups or activities?

No part of any union dues are used to support any political initiatives.

But wait--I want to help NTEU be politically active!

Oh, boy, are we glad to hear that!
There are lots of ways you can get involved: You can help us conduct telephone campaigns on behalf of political candidates NTEU has endorsed, you can contribute to TEPAC, the union's political action committee, or you can do something as easy--and effective--as calling or writing your members of Congress, or even write letters to the editor at the newspapers. Every bit helps, after all.

What is a grievance?

Well, have you had any issues with someone in management recently? Then you probably have a grievance!
(and no; we're not saying that you have issues ...)
Any time a bargaining unit employee has a disagreement with a management official, that employee has a grievance. Grievances are resolved in many ways, and it's usually not as complicated as you might think. Contrary to what most people believe, NTEU and management resolve most grievances by simply discussing the issue. When dialogue doesn't work, however, NTEU moves to an informal or formal process to resolve the issue. These formal issues are what most people think of when they hear the word grievance.

What is the "bargaining unit?"

The term "bargaining unit" confuses a lot of people. In any workplace, "management" decides what work is done. "Labor" carries out the work. Labor is a commodity - it has value and is "bargained," or negotiated. Labor is also carried out under prescribed conditions (safely and efficiently). Conditions of employment can also be bargained. A bargaining unit consists of any group of non-management employees affected by a change in the value, condition, or procedure of work. It also refers to any collective group of non-management employees. It is sometimes used to refer to all employees represented by NTEU.

I'm a seasonal employee. Do I have to pay dues when I go non-duty?

No. You do not pay any dues while you are in non-duty status. And you only pay dues for the time that you are on duty. Your dues begin again when you return to duty.
But don't think that means you stop being a union member just because you're not here working: Even in non-pay status, you retain all the rights and privileges of union membership.

What are my rights?

You have a whole lot of rights, almost all of which were guaranteed for you by NTEU. Take a look at the IRS/NTEU National Agreement to see all of them. Admittedly, the language of the contract can sometimes be confusing or vague, and that's why we have stewards to help you help yourself keep the rights we've all fought for, and our stewards are available to serve you. Check with your area steward or representative, or call the union office (215-516-2502) for information concerning your rights.

When should I get in touch with my steward or representative?

You should contact your area steward or representative any time you feel your rights might have been violated. It's very important that you contact your area steward or representative immediately because some issues require grieving within 15 days, so please don't put it off!

Who is my steward/representative?

Chances are, there's one working right near you. If you don't know of a steward in your area, call us at the office. Remember, a steward doesn't have to be in your exact area to help or represent you.

Why should I become a member?

As a member, you take an active part in decision making. You can vote, hold office, and have a voice in the union. You can become an NTEU official or participate on quality teams to improve the quality of worklife. If you want to contribute to improving quality and your work life, the most effective way is to join NTEU.
Also, the more members we have, the more power we have to negotiate, lobby Congress, and more. By adding your voice, you make all of our voices more likely to be heard.

Why do members have to pay dues? You already represent me. Why should I join?

No one gets representation for free. Your co-workers who are members are paying your tab. Members pay the dues which cover the cost of all bargaining and contract support for all bargaining unit employees. It costs money to negotiate contracts, lobby Congress, and represent employees.

If I'm not a member. Do you still have to represent me?

NTEU is required to represent non-members only in contract related problems, not before the EEOC, MSPB, the Comptroller General or in class action suits in the courts. NTEU is also not required to represent non-members in oral replies or statutory appeal cases regarding disciplinary actions. Oral replies are the first and often most important step in resolving these types of issues. NTEU is also not obligated to survey non-members about what they would like in a national or local agreement.

Why does NTEU only select members for task forces or teams? Does NTEU ever select non members?

There are two types of selections made by NTEU. They are "representative" and "non-representative." Representative selections require the person selected represents the viewpoint and position of all affected employees in the area of responsibility. Under the National Agreement with IRS, only NTEU can represent employees. As a result, only an NTEU member can hold a representative position. Any position on a team, task force, or committee is a representative position and the National Agreement limits our ability to select only members of NTEU.

In "non-representative" selections, the employee is not representing any other employee’s position. An example of this would be the employee focus groups. NTEU Chapter 72 does select non-members to participate in focus groups, generally when members do not wish to participate.

I requested to be on a task force and was rejected because I am not a member. How can you do that?

One of the benefits of membership in NTEU is the privilege of being selected to participate on quality teams. NTEU generally selects members to be on these teams. NTEU's right to do this was recently upheld by the courts..

I disagree with union decisions. Why should I join?

There aren't many people who agree 100% with any group's or organization's actions. Representative government depends on people who participate in decision making. If you don't agree with the direction the union takes, become involved and work to change the course. We need people like you. That's how everyone who works for NTEU first got involved: They didn't agree with something that happened.

If you'd like to see things done differently, get involved, get the facts, and work to make a positive change. Being on the outside precludes your being able to change things. Tell us what we should or should not be doing. Talk with your area steward or representative or the officers.

What has the union done for me lately?

A whole lot; and probably a great number of things you never know about. Some good sources for information is the chapter's newsletter and the NTEU Bulletin, as well as the national NTEU website. We'll also be posting things on the News page of this site from time to time to keep you better informed. You can also contact an area steward or representative for details.

I don't like unions. Why should I join?

The definition of "union" is "to join together for a common cause." What would be the effect if no union existed to monitor, lobby, represent, enforce policies and contracts and ensure your due process? What do you think would happen to your rights and privileges without anyone there to guarantee them? The majority of good things that have happened for employees have happened because there is a union.

Really, saying that you don't like the union is the same as not trusting your co-workers; after all, the union is its members. It is a democratic organization where members choose how the union conducts business. When you join NTEU, you are the union.

All of this talk about contracts is confusing. Who can help me understand?

The two most important things you can do is get to know your area steward or representative and get familiar with the national agreement. If you have problems doing either of those two things, you might want to contact one of the officers.

Can NTEU strike?

NTEU is prohibited by law from striking. However, NTEU does have the power to issue a "cease and desist" order which is legally binding. NTEU also has the ability to bargain, negotiate, grieve and represent bargaining unit employees.

I've never been in trouble. What's in it for me?

Well, then, you're in good company: The majority of our members are good employees and never have problems. NTEU's intervention and contract rights are one of the reasons the vast majority of employees don't have problems. We provide a system of check and balance. Unfortunately, problems can always arise. Sometimes whole groups of employees are affected. That's when having a strong membership really pays off.

Unions don't matter. Management does what management wants to do.

Only if you let them. Management has this uncanny ability to understand where NTEU is strong and where NTEU is weak. In fact, there are regular trainings and briefings for management professionals to instruct them on how to get around unions. They will take liberties in areas of weak membership and treat employees with respect in areas of strong membership. It's up to you. We rely on you to keep us informed. We can't challenge or fix things if we don't know management is doing them.

How do I begin to make things better?

Management will often not show employees respect until they are aware that NTEU is paying attention. Thomas Jefferson said that "the price of freedom is eternal vigilance;" well, the price of respect and representation is eternal communication. Many times, it's just a matter of awareness. When members make us aware of issues in their work areas, we begin a dialogue with the manager which may include negotiation and the filing of grievances. Sometimes it may take a while, but the situation almost always improves.

I have decided to leave the union. What do I do?

The National Agreement Between Internal Revenue Service and National Treasury Employees Union (NC/NORD V) states:

Article 10, Section 6(A)3: Revocation Notices for employees who have had dues allotments in effect for more than a one(1) year must be submitted to the payroll office during USDA pay period fifteen (15) each year. Revocations will become effective during USDA pay period eighteen (18). Revocations may only be effected by submission of a completed SF - 1188 that has been initialed by the chapter president or his or her designee. If the SF-1188 is not initialed, the Employer shall return the SF-1188 to the employee and direct the employee to the proper Union official for initialing. To revoke such dues withholding, employees must have had dues withheld for at least one (1) year.
Article 10, Section 6(A)4: Revocation notices for employees who have not had dues allotments in effect for one (1) year must be submitted on or before the one (1) year anniversary date of their dues allotment. Revocations may only be effected by submission of a completed SF - 1188 that has been initialed by the chapter president or his or her designee. If the SF-1188 is not initialed, the Employer shall return the SF-1188 to the employee and direct the employee to the proper Union official for initialing. The SF-1188 will become effective the first full pay period after the employee's anniversary date.

But we really hope you'll reconsider; if you have issues, please feel free to talk to us--we'd hate to see you go!