Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is ATLAS-OPEIU?
1
ATLAS-OPEIU is a union for SAM employees coming together to improve our workplace at SEPTA. We are a democratic organization that we are building ourselves, where every member has a voice and a vote. By organizing, we gain the power to negotiate for fair treatment and a stronger say in decisions that affect our jobs.
ATLAS stands for Administrative & Technical Labor Association of SEPTA.
OPEIU Local 32, the Office and Professional Employees International Union (AFL-CIO), is the union we are affiliated with.
What Are My Rights and protections?
2
In the state of Pennsylvania we have the strongly protected legal right to form, join, or support a union. We are all protected from retaliation (being punished) for talking about workplace issues, signing a union card, or attending meetings. Our employer, SEPTA, cannot legally threaten, punish, intimidate, or change our working conditions because of union activity. These rights are guaranteed by federal and state law, and they apply whether or not a union has already been officially formed.
what does it mean to sign a union card?
3
For our union to be legally certified we need to prove that a majority of our coworkers want to form our union for SAM employees at SEPTA. Signing a union card is the official way to show you support forming our union with our coworkers. Signing allows us to move forward with the process so that we can officially win our union and then begin making the changes that we all want to see.
Signing a union card is complete confidential and legally protected. SEPTA management will never know who signed a union card.
How do I know if i am Eligible For our union?
4
You are covered by ATLAS-OPEIU if:
You are considered a SAM employee. (If you aren’t already covered by a contract of another union at SEPTA, you’re SAM.)
You have no direct reports. SAM employees who do directly supervise other workers are covered by TWU Local 290.
You cannot hire, fire, discipline, or investigate other employees in your official capacity.
If you need further information about whether you are eligible for our union email at atlas@opeiu32.org.
What are the next steps? What do i need to do?
5
We’re ready to move forward! Here’s what happens next. We have more than enough signed union cards to file with the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board for a union election to certify our union. BUT we want to get a supermajority of SAM employees signed on union cards so we don’t have to go through the time and headache of an election and can have our union officially certified based on the number of cards we have signed. So we are doing a big push to get the last cards signed that we need to more quickly and easily certify our union and so we can begin negotiations
What is Atlas-opeiu fighting for?
6
ATLAS-OPEIU is fighting for a workplace that treats all of us fairly, respects our work, and supports us to do our jobs well. Overall, we want a real voice in decisions that affect our work.
To learn more about specific priorities many of our coworkers have described, visit the Issues page.
Union dues are the membership contributions that fund our union once we have a contract. They give us the resources we need to bargain the strongest contract possible and the resources to make sure that contract is actually enforced and followed by SEPTA. Dues will ONLY begin after we negotiate and vote to approve our contract with all of the changes we want to see in the contract so not one cent of dues leaves our pockets until we actually see the benefits of winning our union. Dues for ATLAS-OPEIU members once we vote to approve our contract will be only 1.2% of base pay with a cap of $50 per month. That means that both lower paid and higher paid employees pay a fair amount.