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Membership FAQs
...How Much are APC's Membership Dues?
...If an APC Deduction is Taken Out of My Paycheck Each Month, Am I a Member?
...But Aren't I Already a Member? I Thought I Was Paying Dues.
...But Haven't I Already Received a "New Member Welcome Packet" from APC?
...Why Should I Join APC, If It Already Represents Me?
...Can All Unit 4 Employees Vote on a New Contract?
...Is It Too Late to Join If I Want to Vote on the New Contract?
...How Do I Join APC?
...How Long Should It Take for My Membership Application to be Processed?
...Why Must I Provide My Social Security Number to APC?
...How Do I Notify APC of a Change in My Name or Contact Information?
...How Do I Notify APC That I'm Leaving Unit 4?
Who Does APC Represent?
The Academic Professionals of California (APC) is the union which represents Unit 4 academic support professionals at the 23 campuses of the California State University (CSU).
How Much are APC's
Membership Dues?
APC has three membership categories: Active,
Associate and Retiree.
Active members are Union members currently working in Unit 4; their dues are 1% of their monthly gross pay each pay period. (Note: Fair share fees are not dues; if you pay a fair share fee, you are not a member of APC.)
Associate members are individuals in other CSU bargaining units or management, as well as individuals outside of the CSU, who wish to continue their support of APC; their dues currently are $15.00 per month.
Retiree members are former CSU employees who wish to continue their APC membership to support APC's efforts on behalf of current Unit 4 employees; their dues currently are $5.00 per month.
Unit 4 employees are not automatically members of APC. Until an employee applies for membership, a fair share fee (not dues) will be deducted from his/her paycheck each month (see next question).
If an APC Deduction
is Taken Out of My Paycheck Each Month, Am I a Member?
That depends. If you have submitted an application
to join APC and are paying dues, you definitely are a member.
If you are paying dues, the deduction on your pay warrant will be
listed as "DUES-APC". However, if the deduction
is listed as "FS-APC," you are paying a fair share fee
as a non-member.
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"DUES-APC" = APC Member
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"FS-APC" = NOT an APC Member
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This Unit 4
employee is paying monthly dues
(1% of monthly gross income)— he is a member of APC. |
This Unit 4
employee is paying a fair share fee
(1% of her monthly gross income)— she is not a member of APC. |
If you thought you already were a member, but you never applied and therefore are still paying a fair share fee, applying is as easy as completing APC's membership application online (or by hand) and mailing it to APC's Statewide Office. See How Do I Join APC?
But Aren't I Already a Member? I Thought
I Was Paying Dues.
Once you submit a membership application and
have received your "new member welcome packet" from your
campus steward, the deduction on your next pay warrant should be
listed as "DUES-APC." If your deduction continues to show
as "FS-APC," you are still paying your fair share as a
non-member, and you should contact the Statewide
Office.
But Haven't I Already Received a "New Member Welcome Packet"
from APC?
You may be thinking of the Fair Share Fee
Notice received by all new employees when they join Unit 4,
and annually by all Unit 4 employees who have not yet joined
APC. The Fair Share Fee Notice is a large 8"x10" packet
mailed directly to your home address. It provides a wealth of information
on fair share, how APC's fair share fees are calculated, the advantages
of joining APC, etc.
Only after you submit an APC membership application will you receive a "new member welcome packet" from APC. This packet is usually delivered to new members personally, in a regular business envelope, by a campus steward. It includes a welcome letter from APC's President, a "Union Plus" (or "Union Privilege") brochure, and an APC lapel pin.
If you think you've joined APC but your monthly payroll deduction still shows as "FS-APC," contact the Statewide Office.
Why Should I Join APC, If It Already Represents
Me?
Only dues-paying members may
vote to ratify or reject the contract under which all Unit 4
employees work. And only dues-paying members select APC's
campus and statewide leaders.
But most importantly, by joining the Union, rather than paying your "fair share" as a non-member, you strengthen our collective ability to represent ourselves effectively.
If you're paying the full fair share fee now, joining won't increase the amount you pay by one penny! And during the 2002-2003 fair share cycle, those objectors paying the reduced fee paid only 0.14% more after joining, an average of only $5.44 a month!
All of us together are the Union. When APC succeeds or fails, it's a direct result of our involvement as members of our Union!
If you don't stand up for yourself, why should anyone else? Take that one easy step: Stand up now...Join your Union today!
Can All Unit 4 Employees Vote on a New
Contract?
No. Only active Unit 4 employees who
are also dues-paying members of the Union can vote to ratify
or reject a new contract. If you are paying a fair share fee, you
are not a member of APC! Fair share fee payers who want a
say in whether a new contract is ratified need to
join APC. If you're not sure whether you're paying dues
or fair share fees, click here
to find out.
And remember, being able to vote on our contract is only one of the reasons to join APC!
Is It Too Late to Join If I Want to Vote On
the New Contract?
The 2005-2008 conctract has already been ratified. When a new contract has been negotiated, every Unit 4 employee who is not a member of APC will receive a ratification ballot together with a membership application; non-members may join and vote on the contract at the same time by returning their signed membership applications with their ballots.
If you're not sure whether you're a member of APC, click here to find out.
How Do I Join APC?
There are two ways to apply for membership in APC:
- You can apply right now by completing APC's
membership application online, printing it out, signing it
and placing it in an envelope, and then mailing it to APC's Statewide
Office. (The application can also be printed out and completed
by hand.)
Note—To complete the application online, you will need at least version 5.0 of Acrobat Reader. If you need to install or upgrade the Reader, click on the icon below and answer a few simple questions to download and install the latest version for free:
- Or ask a steward on your campus for a copy of APC's membership brochure. Simply provide some basic information on the application portion, tear it from the brochure, fold it in half and seal it, and then place your completed application in a US mailbox. No postage is required!
How Long Should It Take for My Membership Application
to be Processed?
APC membership applications are processed
by the Statewide Office on a monthly basis. If your application
is received by the 12th day of a month, it should be processed during
that month's pay period. You should receive your welcome packet
from one of your campus stewards by the end of the same month.
Why Must I Provide My Social Security Number
to APC?
Because the CSU and the State Controller's
Office use your SSN as your unique identifier. Whenever we submit
changes in payroll deductions or membership status, we are required
to include your SSN to ensure that each change is applied to the
correct individual.
How Do I Notify APC of a Change in My Name
or Contact Information?
The simplest way to notify APC of a change
in your name or contact information is to submit a Member
Information Change Request to the Statewide Office. (If you have an account with the
supplemental APC/LIUNA Pension Plan, or if you are already receiving monthly benefits under the supplemental APC/LIUNA Pension Plan, you should also notify
the Pension Fund office directly.)
How Do I Notify APC That I'm Leaving Unit 4?
If you're a member leaving Unit 4 either
temporarily or permanently, let the Statewide Office know your situation
by submitting a Membership Status Change Request.
You may be interested in our reduced
dues structure for those still working in the CSU but not in Unit 4 ("associate"
members) and those who have left the CSU ("retiree" members).