Section 17A: Pay-roll deductions for union dues of employees of state, county or municipality; revocation
Section 17A. Deductions on payroll schedules may be made from the salary of an employee of an amount that the employee may specify in writing to that employee's employer or its representative under chapter 150E or to an employer made subject to chapter 150A by chapter 760 of the acts of 1962, for the payment of union dues or fees to an employee organization. The authorization for payroll deduction may be irrevocable pursuant to the terms of that authorization for a period of not more than 1 year after the authorization and shall be revocable solely pursuant to the terms of revocation specified in the employee authorization. An authorization consistent with the terms of this section shall be accepted by the employer. The treasurer of the employee organization or relief association shall notify the office of the employer responsible for implementing payroll deductions of an authorization revocation not later than 15 calendar days after it is received.
If an authorization for payroll deduction does not specify the terms for revocation, then the authorization may be withdrawn by the employee by giving not less than 60 calendar days notice in writing of that withdrawal to that employee's employer responsible for implementing payroll deductions and by filing a copy of the notice with the treasurer of the employee organization.
The state treasurer or the treasurer of the employer that employs the employee shall deduct from the salary of that employee the amount of union dues or fees certified to that treasurer on the payroll and transmit the sum so deducted to the treasurer of the employee organization; provided, however, that the state treasurer or the treasurer of the employer, as applicable, is satisfied that the treasurer of the employee organization has given the employee organization a bond, in a form approved by the commissioner of revenue, for the faithful performance of that treasurer's duties, in a sum and with such surety as is satisfactory to the state treasurer or treasurer of the employer. Whenever an employee organization is certified or obtains consent recognition under chapter 150A or chapter 150E, such deductions shall be made for dues or fees only to the certified or recognized employee organization.
This section shall be effective in a county, city or town that has accepted it in the manner provided by section 2 of chapter 740 of the acts of 1950 or that accepts this section in the following manner: (i) in a county, by vote of the county commissioners; (ii) in a city having a Plan D or Plan E charter, by majority vote of its city council; (iii) in any other city, by vote of city council, approved by the mayor; and (iv) in a town, by vote of the board of selectmen.