by Evelyn Pyburn
The Federation of Public Employees, which represents Yellowstone County employees, has filed two law suits against Yellowstone County, claiming unfair labor practices.
One lawsuit has to do with county administration asking that county employees sign a document approving the removal of union dues from their pay check. The county instituted the process following a Supreme Court decision, called the Janas decision, which concluded that employees can opt to not join unions and therefore do not have to pay dues, explained Deputy County Attorney Kevin Gillan. The county has asked that the union provide employees with the document and have them sign it, just as they would do for other cases, in which they withhold fees or payments from an individual employee’s paycheck. “You have to have some record of consent,” said Dwight Vigness, the county’s personnel director. CLICK here to read more
