September 7, 2006
APA/FOP FAIR SHARE AGREEMENT
If you are
not currently a member of the Aurora Police Association (“APA”), we hope you will want to become a member in the
future. Membership allows you to have a voice in the operation of the APA, run
for APA office, vote on collective bargaining contract ratification, help set the goals for bargaining, participate on the
Bargaining Committee, and have access to the finest legal counsel in the metropolitan area to handle legal issues arising
out of your employment. Non-members do not enjoy any of these benefits.
Much of the monies spent by the APA go to the costs of negotiating and administering your collective bargaining agreement,
as well as other matters germane to collective bargaining. The 2005 APA/City
of Aurora Collective Bargaining Agreement provides that non-members as a condition
of employment must pay their fair share of these expenses to the APA. These expenses
are known as “chargeable expenses.” Those expenses, which you are
not required to pay, are known as “non-chargeable expenses.”
Chargeable
expenses are those expenses, which relate to the negotiation and administration of the collective bargaining agreement and
other activities germane to the collective bargaining process. They include preparation
for and negotiating of the agreement, processing of grievances, expenses of litigation incident to negotiating and administering
the contract, litigation costs relating to mandatory and permissive subjects of bargaining, and litigation costs concerning
the entire bargaining unit. Chargeable expenses also include membership services
designed to strengthen the APA as a cohesive and effective bargaining agent, APA publications to the extent they report APA
representational or administration activities, grievance handling and arbitration, legislative activities directly related
to the collective bargaining charter amendment, and adoption of the collective bargaining agreement by the city, membership
and Council meeting expenses, and internal administration of the APA including policy formulation, judicial administration
and financial administration.
Non-chargeable
expenses include legislative and lobbying activities which do not relate to the collective bargaining charter amendment or
adoption of the collective bargaining agreement, litigation costs not germane to collective bargaining, public relations and
other efforts relating to issues not germane to the collective bargaining process, political contributions, APA publications
to the extent that they report on non-administrative or non-representative activities, charitable contributions, and the cost
of benefits that are not available to non-members.
Gordon,
Hughes & Banks, LLP, CPAs have audited all APA expenditures for 2004 divided between chargeable and non-chargeable activities. A copy of the APA expenditures for year ending 2004 has been provided to the non-members
challenging fair share.
The APA and FOP reached an agreement on September 7, 2006. The APA agreed to modify
the calculation by making the Board expenses chargeable at the administrative percentage chargeable. It will also re-characterize the cost of the Internal Affairs Seminar to non-chargeable.
As result of these changes, the percentage of chargeable expenses becomes 45.88% or $12.48 per month of the APA’s 2004 expenditures are chargeable per all fair share participants.
The current dues structure of the APA is 1.1% of a Police Officer First Grade’s base salary ($27.22 to the
General Fund and $27.21 for Legal Defense Fund - $54.43 total per month through December 31, 2005 and $27.70 to the
General Fund and $27.70 for Legal Defense Fund - $55.40 per month January 1 through May 31, 2006). Based upon the calculation described above, your fair share will be $12.48
per month from June 1, 2005 through May 31, 2006. This amount must be paid to the APA by means of either a fee deduction
(an authorization form is enclosed) or direct payment to the APA by the 1st of each month. This fee amount will be effective June 1, 2005 to May 31, 2006. You must pay this amount each month. Please
include the Dues Deduction Authorization form to have the fees deducted from your check thereafter.
The
APA agrees that Board expenses will be charged at the administrative percent chargeable in the future and that seminars dealing
with internal affairs, or portions of seminars that deal with internal affairs as well as matters germane to collective bargaining,
will not be considered chargeable.
Lodge #49 agreed to withdraw the objection if filed on behalf of its members and agrees
that it will not fund any challenge to the recalculated amount for 2005 – 2006.
If you have any questions, please contact the APA.
