71814
. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, rule, or
regulation, an agency shop agreement may be negotiated between a
regional court interpreter employment relations committee and a
recognized employee organization. As used in this chapter, "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 that organization for the duration of the agreement
or for a period of three years from the effective date of the
agreement, whichever comes first. However, any employee who is a
member of a bona fide religion, body, or sect that has historically
held conscientious objections to joining or financially supporting
recognized employee organizations may not be required to join or
financially support any recognized employee organization as a
condition of employment. That employee may be required, in lieu of
periodic dues, initiation fees, or agency shop fees to pay sums equal
to those dues, initiation fees, or agency shop fees to a
nonreligious, nonlabor charitable organization 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 funds, designated in a
memorandum of understanding or agreement between the regional
committee and the recognized employee organization, or if the
memorandum of understanding or agreement fails to designate any
funds, then to any fund chosen by the employee. Proof of those
payments shall be made on a monthly basis to the trial court as a
condition of continued exemption from the requirement of financial
support to the recognized employee organization.
(b) An agency shop provision in a memorandum of understanding or
agreement which is in effect may be rescinded by a majority vote of
all the employees in the unit covered by the memorandum of
understanding or agreement, if all of the following are satisfied:
(1) A request for the 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.
(3) The vote is taken at any time during the term of the
memorandum of understanding or agreement. No more than one vote may
be taken during that term.
(c) In addition to the procedure prescribed in subdivision (a), an
agency shop arrangement between the regional court interpreter
employment relations committee and a recognized employee organization
or recognized employee organizations shall be placed in effect upon
(1) a signed petition of at least 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. An
election under this subdivision may not be held more frequently than
once a year, and shall be conducted by the Division of Conciliation
of the Department of Industrial Relations in the event the regional
court interpreter employment relations committee and the recognized
employee organization cannot agree within 10 days from the filing of
a petition to select jointly a neutral person or entity to conduct
the election. The recognized employee organization shall hold the
regional court interpreter employment relations committee and the
trial courts harmless and defend and indemnify the regional court
interpreter employment relations committee and trial courts regarding
the application of any agency shop requirements or provisions,
including, but not limited to, improper deduction of fees,
maintenance of records, and improper reporting.
(d) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a), (b), and (c), the regional
court interpreter employment relations committee and the recognized
employee organization may negotiate, and by mutual agreement provide
for, an alternative procedure or procedures regarding a vote on any
agency shop agreement.
(e) An agency shop agreement may not apply to management,
confidential, or supervisory employees.
(f) Every 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 regional court interpreter
employment relations committee 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 (Griffin-Landrum Act), covering employees
governed by this chapter or required to file financial reports under
Section 3546.5, may satisfy the financial reporting requirement of
this section by providing the trial court with a copy of those
financial reports.