AFSCME’s Political Rebate Procedure

AFSCME’s Constitution includes a rebate procedure to protect the rights of members. This is a procedure for members who object to how the union spends money for partisan political or ideological purposes. It is not open to those who are members under a union shop or similar provision — or to non-members who pay agency shop or similar fees to the union.

The timing of the steps in the procedure is tied to the International’s fiscal year. The procedures, including the requirements for submitting a proper rebate request, are spelled out in Article IX, Section 14, of the International Constitution. THESE REQUIREMENTS WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED.

Here’s how it works: Members who object to the expenditure of a portion of their dues for partisan political or ideological purposes and want to request a rebate must do so individually in writing between April 1 and April 16, 2008.

A request must be timely filed by registered or certified mail with BOTH the International Secretary-Treasurer AND the council with which the member’s local is affiliated, if any, OR the member’s local. The request must contain the following information: the member’s name, Social Security number, home address and the AFSCME local and council number to which dues were paid during the preceding year. This information must be typed or legibly printed. The individual request must be signed by the member and sent by the individual member to: William Lucy, International Secretary-Treasurer, AFSCME, 1625 L St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036-5687, AND the council with which the member’s local is affiliated, if any, OR the member’s local, by registered mail. Requests from more than one person may not be sent in the same envelope. Each request must be sent individually. Requests must be submitted in writing each year.

Upon receipt of a valid rebate request, an application for partisan political or ideological rebate will be sent to the objecting member. The objecting member will be required to complete and return the application in a timely manner.The application will require the objecting member to identify those partisan political or ideological activities to which objection is being made, and no rebate will be made to any member who fails to complete that portion of the application. In determining the amount of the rebate to be paid to any 
member, the International Union and each subordinate body shall have the option of limiting the rebate to the member’s pro-rata share of the expenses for those activities specifically identified in the application.

Any member who is dissatisfied with the amount of the rebate paid by the International Union or any subordinate body may object by filing a written appeal with the AFSCME Judicial Panel within 15 days after the rebate check has been received. Appeals should be sent to the Judicial Panel Chairperson at the AFSCME International Headquarters at the address listed above. The Judicial Panel will conduct a hearing and issue a written decision on such appeals, subject to an appeal to the full Judicial Panel. If dissatisfied with the Judicial Panel’s ruling, a member can appeal to the next International Convention.