(a)
Notwithstanding Section 110002, any other provision of this title, or any other law, rule, or regulation, an agency shop agreement may be negotiated between the employer and a recognized public employee organization that has been recognized as the exclusive or majority bargaining agent, in accordance with this title. As used in this title, “agency shop” means an
arrangement that requires an employee, as a condition of continued employment, either to join the recognized employee organization or to pay the organization a service fee in an amount not to exceed the standard initiation fee, periodic dues, and general assessments of the organization, to be determined by the organization in accordance with applicable law.
(b)
In addition to the procedure prescribed in subdivision (a), an agency shop arrangement between the Statewide Authority and a recognized employee organization that has been recognized as the exclusive or majority bargaining agent shall be placed in effect, without a negotiated agreement, upon (1) a signed petition of 30 percent of the employees in the applicable bargaining unit requesting an agency shop agreement and an election to implement an agency fee arrangement, and (2) the approval of a majority of employees who cast ballots and vote in a secret ballot election in favor of the
agency shop agreement. The petition may be filed only after the recognized employee organization has requested the Statewide Authority to negotiate on an agency shop arrangement and, beginning seven working days after the Statewide Authority received this request, the two parties have had 30 calendar days to attempt good faith negotiations in an effort to reach agreement. An election that shall not be held more frequently than once a year shall be conducted by the State Mediation and Conciliation Service in the event that the Statewide Authority and the recognized employee organization cannot agree within 10 days from the filing of the petition to select jointly a neutral person or entity to conduct the election. In the event of an agency fee arrangement outside of an agreement that is in effect, the recognized employee organization shall indemnify and hold the Statewide Authority harmless against any liability arising from a claim, demand, or other action relating to the Statewide Authority’s compliance
with the agency fee obligation.
(c)
An individual provider who is a member of a bona fide religion, body, or sect that has historically held conscientious objections to joining or financially supporting public employee organizations shall not be required to join or financially support a public employee organization as a condition of employment. The employee may be required, in lieu of periodic dues, initiation fees, or agency shop fees, to pay sums equal to the dues, initiation fees, or agency shop fees to a nonreligious, nonlabor charitable fund exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, chosen by the employee from a list of at least three of these funds, designated in a memorandum of understanding between the employer and the recognized employee organization, or if the memorandum of understanding fails to designate the funds, then to a fund of that type chosen by the employee. Proof of the payments shall be
made on a monthly basis to the employer as a condition of continued exemption from the requirement of financial support to the public employee organization.
(d)
An agency shop provision in a memorandum of understanding that is in effect may be rescinded by a majority vote of all the employees in the unit covered by the memorandum of understanding, provided that: (1) a request for that type of vote is supported by a petition containing the signatures of at least 30 percent of the employees in the unit, (2) the vote is by secret ballot, and (3) the vote may be taken at any time during the term of the memorandum of understanding, but in no event shall there be more than one vote taken during that term.
(e)
A recognized employee organization that has agreed to an agency shop provision or is a party to an agency shop arrangement shall keep an adequate itemized record of its financial
transactions and shall make available annually, to the employer with which the agency shop provision was negotiated, and to the employees who are members of the organization, within 60 days after the end of its fiscal year, a detailed written financial report thereof in the form of a balance sheet and an operating statement, certified as to accuracy by its president and treasurer or corresponding principal officer, or by a certified public accountant. An employee organization required to file financial reports under the federal Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 401 et seq.) covering employees governed by this title, or required to file financial reports under Section 3546.5, may satisfy the financial reporting requirement of this section by providing the employer with a copy of the financial reports.