Verizon Employee Files Federal Charge Against CWA Union Officials for Ignoring Her Rights
Workers refused to abandon job during highly-publicized strike but Verizon continues to illegally seize union dues from her paycheck
Newport News, VA (October 6, 2011) – In the wake of the recent Communications Workers of America (CWA) union-boss instigated strike that grabbed national headlines, a Newport News, Virginia Verizon (NYSE: VZ) worker has filed federal charges against the union and company for violating her rights.
With free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation attorneys, Williamsburg resident Monika Cassell filed unfair labor practice charges against the CWA union, its Local 2205, and Verizon for ignoring her right to refrain from paying union dues.
Upset by the CWA union officials' order to strike, and desiring to continue working to provide for their families, Cassell and other Verizon employees resigned from the union and revoked their dues deduction authorizations – a document used by union officials to automatically collect dues from employees' paychecks – while the union did not have a contract at their workplaces.
Under Virginia's popular Right to Work law, no worker can be required to join or pay any money to a union; and under federal labor law, employees can revoke their dues deduction authorizations once a contract terminates.
However, Verizon continues to confiscate full union dues payments from the workers' paychecks despite their attempts to opt out. And, CWA union officials continue to demand that Verizon keep taking union dues from the workers’ pay.
Cassell's charges also challenge the CWA union's dues deduction authorizations because those authorizations do not allow employees to revoke them when no contract is in effect, as federal law requires. Instead, Verizon is forcing the employees to pay full union dues for at least another year – the one-year anniversary of a new contract between the company and the CWA.
"Apparently at the behest of CWA union bosses, Verizon is refusing to honor Monika Cassell's legally protected right to resign her union membership and cut off union dues," said Mark Mix, President of National Right to Work. "It is indefensible that workers who resigned their union membership and continued to work to support their families in defiance of the CWA-ordered strike are now having their rights violated by company and union officials."
Comments
Verizon?
Hmmm, I don't see how the union can force Verizon to withdraw money for dues in a Right to Work State. Funny though. Sounds like a Verizon problem and not the unions. That is hilarious, first they fight unions tooth and nail, and then end up giving them more dues than required. LMAO
you are wrong Roofer. The
you are wrong Roofer. The contract CWA has does not allow Verizon to stop the union dues on its own. The Union has to stop the request for the dues. If Verizon stops the dues then Verizon could be held accountable by breach of contract. Remember the old contract is still being used while negotiations are continuing. So, you are WRONG!
Who cares . How dare her
Who cares . How dare her cross the picket line. She is an idiot to go in there and work without a contract . Hope she doesn't need union representation.
Golly, we're all working for
Golly, we're all working for the Mafia? Used to be a person was a fool to work without a Union, now he or she's a fool to work with one. Unions have become so engrossed in power that they've forgotten that they were originally set up to PROTECT the worker, not persecute him or her! I've worked under Union protection and felt that the dues paid were well worth it. Then the Unions forgot that they were supposed to render a service to their members. The Democratic Party convinced them that those ugly old Republicans only wanted to dominate them and work them like slaves. Soon the employers were giving them raises, medical insuance, retirement and sick pay as well as vacations and raises and the employees didn't feel put upon by their bosses, so they withdrew from unions. Unions no longer had anything to protect their workers from, and they refused to go away. After all there had to be something they could protect them from! After deep thought and contemplation they decided to make them neet to be protected from the UNIONS! Wasn't that brilliant of them?
Right to work state.
Right to work state.
Get a Refund !
Get a refund .... > http://www.unionrefund.org/ <