Discussion set on union payroll-deduction process as Georgia Federation of Public Service Employees seeks recognition

Fulton County human-resources leadership briefed commissioners on the county’s process for recognizing employee organizations and facilitating payroll deductions after the Georgia Federation of Public Service Employees requested recognition.

Ken Herman, the county’s chief HR officer, summarized the ordinance route: an organization must secure membership from a majority (50% plus one) of the eligible employee population it seeks to represent before coming to the board to request permission for payroll deductions. Herman said the federation is pursuing representation among non-exempt employees (roughly 2,400 workers), which would require obtaining signatures from roughly half that eligible population before board action. He said payroll-setup costs are approximately $42 per employee to set up in payroll and an additional $84 to establish vendor status; if the federation succeeded in enrolling the entire targeted population, Herman said deductions would generate about $50,000 for the organization and approximately $14,000 for the employee-services fund.

Herman told the board he will work with the county attorney’s office and the clerk to reconcile the ordinance language and return a revised resolution to streamline the process; commissioners asked HR and county attorneys to consult with existing unions to clarify overlaps and impacts. Commissioners also asked for a one-page summary of costs and next steps. Commissioner Marvin Arrington said he had spoken with the federation’s representative and supported moving forward provided the ordinance and logistics are clear. The board did not take a final vote on recognition at this meeting.