Washington, DC (August 6, 2010) – The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, a charitable organization that assists employees nationwide, has announced an offer of free legal assistance to any Washington, DC nurses who do not wish to participate in an impending union-instigated strike at the Washington Hospital Center.

On August 3, Nurses United of the National Capital Area union officials declared a strike against the Washington Hospital Center. Although the date of the strike has yet to be determined, media reports indicate that a majority of eligible nurses either voted against the strike or didn’t vote at all. However, union officials seem intent on striking, which will take place as contract negotiations with the hospital continue to stall.

Ray LaJeunesse, Vice President and Legal Director of the National Right to Work Foundation, responded to the union’s strike threat by issuing the following statement on the nurses’ legal rights:

“Many DC nurses may wish to work during the strike to ensure their patients receive medical attention. Nurses who want to continue working must be made aware of their workplace rights, including the right to resign from union membership and the right to refrain from participating in a union-instigated strike. A detailed description of every nurse’s legal rights is available on the Foundation’s website at https://www.nrtw.org/a/a_7_p.htm.

“Foundation attorneys are prepared to advise nurses about their workplace rights. We are also prepared to provide free legal assistance to any nurses who are subjected to union harassment or retaliation for working during this or any subsequent strike initiated by union officials. You can call the Foundation toll free at 800-336-3600 or request free legal assistance via email at [email protected].

“The National Right to Work Foundation is committed to helping nurses who wish to continue working rather than participate in a union-instigated strike,” continued LaJeunesse. “Nurses must assert their legal rights to ensure they aren’t subjected to draconian internal union discipline for choosing to remain on the job, and Foundation staff attorneys stand ready to assist them.”

Under Supreme Court precedent and federal law:

• Workers have the right to resign from union membership at any time.

• Workers have the right to go to work even if the union is on strike. If a worker chooses to work during a strike, he or she must first resign from union membership to avoid union disciplinary action such as fines.

• After a union’s monopoly bargaining agreement with their employer expires, workers have the right to sign a decertification petition for a secret ballot election to eject union officials from their workplace.

The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization providing free legal aid to employees whose human or civil rights have been violated by compulsory unionism abuses. The Foundation, which can be contacted toll-free at 1-800-336-3600, assists thousands of employees in about 200 cases nationwide per year.