RJ Wolcott

Lansing State Journal

EAST LANSING — A Michigan State University employee has filed a complaint with state labor officials after being billed for hundreds of dollars in union dues despite resigning her membership last fall.

The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation filed an unfair labor practice charge on March 14 on behalf of Nichole Frattaroli, an MSU information technologist.

At issue are union dues withheld from Frattaroli's pay in the last three months of 2015, as well as the union’s lack of response to letters sent by Frattaroli in September requesting to withdraw from the MSU Administrative Professional Association, or APA

The complaint also states Frattaroli was asked in January to pay $560 in dues for January through August of 2016 to the APA.

Bills would allow employees to vote on right-to-work

The MSU Administrative Professional Association, which represents more than 2,000 university employees, and the Michigan Education Association are named in the complaint filed with the Michigan Employment Relations Commission.

Michigan's controversial 2012 right-to-work law made it illegal to mandate employees contribute to a union as a condition of their employment. Those who opt out are still covered by collective bargaining agreements.

Supreme Court upholds right-to-work for state workers

Maury Koffman, president of the APA, wrote in an email that the union “will not be discussing the matter publicly and will honor the legal process to address this complaint.”

Doug Pratt, MEA spokesman, also declined to comment on the case. He confirmed the APA and MEA are affiliated organizations that fall under the umbrella of the National Education Association.

Contact RJ Wolcott at 517-377-1026 or rwolcott@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @wolcottr.