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| About PVFT |
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| Agendas & Minutes |
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| C.O.P.E. |
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| Benefits |
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| President's Report |
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| Contact Us |
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Membership Information
Being a member of a union means being a part of bargaining unit. The more members the union has, the more power it has to represent its members in positive ways. PVFT is one of the larger locals in the state. Our local is a union under the "umbrella" of the AFL-CIO, CFT (California Federation of Teachers), and AFT (American Federation of Teachers). That makes us powerful. However, a local is only as powerful as its members are active. You are the "U" in Union.
Just because you pay a monthly fee does not make you a member. You must have a signed application on file to be a member. As a member, you are entitled to vote, become a site representative, go to conventions, and run for executive board office. AFT puts out a monthly publication for members that informs teachers of events occurring around the country. Other benefits are outlined on the AFT website at http://aft.org/aftplus or on the benefits link to your left. You can also contact the PVFT office at 722-2331 for a brochure or any other questions you may have. For a membership application, you can click "forms" on this page, talk to your site rep, or call the office.
PVFT implemented "agency fee" in the beginning of 2003. This refers to the union's ability to collect money from employees to pay for costs such as negotiating a contract, representing employees in grievances and arbitration, and lobbying activities in Sacramento and Washington D.C. to enact positive educational reform and funding. If your position is covered by an exclusive representation (union) and you are not a registered member of that union to whom you pay dues, you are required by law to pay an agency fee. Agency fee can never be more than the union membership dues.
Members pay a base 1% of their income for dues to our local, PVFT 1936, plus the pass-through required by CFT and AFT Constitution. The CFT and AFT increases are voted on at their respective conventions and passed on to members. This makes the actual amount deducted from you paycheck closer to 2%. We strongly benefit from being part of a nation-wide and state-wide organization. In addition, compared with other locals around the state, our dues are quite low.
As well as running and staffing an office, part of you dues go to the Monterey Bay Central Labor Council, an organization that represents over 60 AFL-CIO unions and over 30,000 union workers from the Davenport Cement Plant to field and cannery workers in King City. We also send members to conferences, fund scholarships, print newsletters and have social events that build solitarity.
Link to Per Capita Invoice 2007-2008 (227 kb - PDF)
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