Q.Am I a member?
A. The contract between the EIU Board of Trustees and University Professions of Illinois (UPI) covers all tenured and tenure-track employees (Unit A). It also covers all annually contracted faculty and academic support professionals (Unit B) employed at .50 or more. The Board of Trustees recognizes the Union as the exclusive bargaining agent for academic employees in the bargaining unit.
Q. How do I join?
A. You must sign a membership card to belong to the union and to make use of benefits, including the $1 million professional liability policy and the $25,000 accidental death and dismemberment policy. Being a member allows you to vote and give your in union matters from electing your leaders to setting policy. Active membership builds a strong union.
Fair Share payment is assessed at 100% to cover costs of negotiating and administering the contract. If you are not a UPI member, you still pay fair share dues. Non-members who object to payment of a fair share because of bona fide religious tenets or teaching of a church or religious body of which such employees are members may, upon approval of their objection by the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board, pay an amount equal to their fair share to a non-religious charitable organization. If you have questions, contact Chapter President Charles Delman.
Q. How do I calculate my dues?
A. Your dues include two components. A flat rate of $384.00 (current rate) is paid by all bargaining unit members to the Illinois Federation of Teachers and the American Federation of Teachers. In addition, your UPI dues are calculated as 0.6% of your monthly salary. For instance, if you earn $40,000 in 9 months, that would be $384.00 plus $240.00 ($40,000 x .006) for a total of $624.00.
However, if you earn less than $3,735 per month but more than $10,000 per academic year, you pay only ½ the affiliate fee. In that case, if you earn $25,000 in 9 months, that would be $202.00 plus $150.00 ($25,000 x .006) for a total of $352.00. If you earn $10,000 or less per academic year, you pay $111.00 plus $60.00 ($10,000 x .006) for a total of 171.00.
If you are not a member of the bargaining unit, you pay the same flat rate as provided above, based on your base salary, but your UPI dues are calculated as 0.3% of your monthly salary.
Q. Where do my dues go?
A. Most of your UPI dues go toward negotiating and maintaining the EIU/UPI Agreement. The amount varies each year but averages around 86%. The remaining funds go toward recruitment, administration, legal expenses, faculty development, and lobbying for education initiatives. In keeping with Illinois state law, no portion of union dues is used for political contributions.
Q. What are the benefits of membership in IFTand AFT?
A. Eastern's chapter of UPI is part of a state-wide network representing seven public universities. In addition, UPI is affiliatedwith the Illinois Federation of Teachers, American Federation of Teachers,and the AFL-CIO. These organizations share a history of strong contractsand collaborative decision-making. By working with other universities, we can exchange contract information and maximize our common interestsin higher education. By collaborating with the IFT and AFT, we can pursue a common agenda for improving education in the state and the nation.
Among the many benefits we have received through such collaboration are improved health and pension benefits and tuition waivers for children of employees, as well as continued protection for tenure and sabbatical leave. We continue to strive for improved health and dental coverage, expanded pension benefits, and tuition waivers for partners.
Public education funding must constantly be pursued and defended, requiring that we work with allied organizations to sustain and improve our professional working conditions.
Q. What are the added benefits of being a UPI member?
A. The American Federation of Teachers provides all UPI members with two very important benefits:
A $1 million professional liability policy
$25,000 in accidental death and dismemberment insurance
Both of these policies go into effect when you sign your membership authorization card.
In addition, you are entitled to vote in all UPI leadership and contract ratification elections. Perhaps most important of all, by participating actively in UPI, you will be contributing your energies and talents toward maintaining a stronger, more collegial workplace with high educational standards.
Q. How do I join the UPI Listserve?
A. Go to:
http://lists.eiu.edu/mailman/listinfo/upieiu
and follow the directions on the site.