Strike Abuses

Right to Work Foundation Announces New Addition to Legal Team

Anthony Riedel — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:39:30 -0500

Washington, DC (January 30, 2012) – The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation has hired Sarah Hartsfield of Austin, Texas, as an addition to its legal staff.

Hartsfield is a recently sworn in member of the Virginia State Bar and 2011 graduate of the Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

"Sarah brings to the Foundation a real commitment to defending and advancing individual liberty against the injustices of compulsory unionism," said Ray LaJeunesse, vice president and legal director of the National Right to Work Foundation.

"She will assist the Foundation's cutting-edge legal team in defending America's workers from Big Labor's growing influence in the public sector, enforcing individual employees' rights against compulsory unionism, and establishing new precedents to increase workplace freedom for America’s workers."

Verizon Employee Files Federal Charge Against CWA Union Officials for Ignoring Her Rights

Anthony Riedel — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 16:34:08 -0400

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.

South Carolina Boeing Employees Move to Intervene in Obama Labor Board’s Assault on Right to Work Laws

Anthony Riedel — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 10:13:14 -0400

Washington, DC (June 2, 2011) – With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation, a group of Charleston-area Boeing Company employees are asking to intervene in the National Labor Relations Board's (NLRB) unprecedented case targeting Boeing (NYSE: BA) for locating production in South Carolina in part due to its popular Right to Work law. That law ensures that union dues and membership are strictly voluntary.

The NLRB's complaint, if successful, would eliminate over 1,000 existing jobs in South Carolina, not to mention several thousand more jobs that would be created once the Boeing plant reaches full production capacity. Further, the case could set a dangerous precedent that allows union bosses to dictate where job providers locate their facilities.

Nurse Threatened with Termination for Refusing to Join Union Ranks

Will Collins — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 11:43:28 -0400

Chicago, IL (April 20, 2011) – With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation, a Chicago nurse has filed federal unfair labor practice charges against the National Nurses United (NNU) union. The charges allege that NNU officials stopped her from opting out of certain union dues and attempted to force her to join the union.

Jennifer Heyd, a University of Chicago Medical Center nurse, was first told that she had to authorize union dues deductions and sign a NNU membership card in November of 2010. Although Heyd informed union officials that she did not want to join the union or pay full dues, NNU bosses told her that she would be fired if she did not become a member or authorize dues deductions.

Federal Prosecution Against Grocery Union Bosses for Widespread Rights Abuses to Proceed as Class-Action

Anthony Riedel — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 13:42:22 -0400

Phoenix, AZ (October 22, 2010) – A federal prosecution initiated by several Fry’s Food Stores workers, whose rights were abused by local union bosses during a looming strike last year, will proceed as a “class action” and will potentially affect thousands of similarly-situated employees statewide.

With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation, employees from several Fry’s locations in Arizona filed federal unfair labor practice charges against the United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 99 union hierarchy and Fry’s management after union and company officials continued to seize union dues from their paychecks despite repeated requests to stop.

Boeing Employees Respond to Union Boss Bullying with Unfair Labor Practice Charges

Anthony Riedel — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:00:16 -0400

Los Angeles, CA (August 9, 2010) – Three employees at the Carson Boeing plant have filed federal charges against the United Auto Worker (UAW) union in response to local union officials’ efforts to illegally punish them for exercising their rights to resign from formal union membership.

Before working during a UAW Local 148-instigated strike, the three employees exercised their right, upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in Pattern Makers v. NLRB (1985), to resign from formal, full dues-paying union membership.

The UAW Local 148 union hierarchy began internal union disciplinary procedures against the nonmember employees for refusing to abandon their jobs despite receiving their resignation letters before the union boss-ordered strike. Union officials have no legal power to punish nonmember employees for honoring their commitments to their employer as long as they first resigned their union membership.

Legal Foundation Offers Free Assistance to DC Nurses Who Won’t Abandon Patients during Strike

Anthony Riedel — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 10:22:18 -0400

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.

Legal Foundation Files Federal Charges for Nurses Who Refused to Abandon Patients to Participate in Union-Instigated Strike

Will Collins — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:35:46 -0400

Minneapolis, MN (July 29, 2010) – With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation, three Minneapolis nurses have filed federal unfair labor practice charges against the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) union after MNA officials illegally threatened them with disciplinary action for refusing to participate in a recent strike. Foundation attorneys anticipate filing additional charges within the next several days.

Under the 1985 Supreme Court decision Pattern Makers v. National Labor Relations Board, workers have the right to resign from union membership. Although workers can still be fired for failing to pay union dues, nurses and other employees who exercise their right to refrain from formal union membership cannot be subjected to internal union discipline or compelled to participate in union activities, including strikes. Such union “discipline” often includes punitive fines, which can reach tens of thousands of dollars.

Legal Foundation Offers Free Assistance to Nurses Who Won’t Abandon Their Patients during Looming Strike

Will Collins — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 16:15:38 -0400

Minneapolis, MN (July 1, 2010) – The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, a charitable organization that assists employees nationwide, is renewing its offer of free legal assistance to any Minneapolis nurses who do not wish to participate in another union-instigated strike.

The Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) union has again decided to strike against 14 hospitals in the Twin Cities area on July 6. However, recent media reports suggest that many nurses do not wish to participate in the impending strike.

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:

Legal Foundation Offers Free Assistance to Nurses Who Won’t Abandon Their Patients during Looming Strike

Will Collins — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 12:52:19 -0400

Minneapolis, MN (June 09, 2010) – The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, a legal aid organization that assists employees nationwide, is announcing an offer of free legal assistance to any Minneapolis nurses who do not wish to participate in an impending union-instigated strike.

According to recent press reports, the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) union has decided to initiate a strike against 14 hospitals in the Twin Cities area. Some 4000 nurses either voted against or did not vote at all when asked to walk out on their patients.

Ray LaJeunesse, Vice President and Legal Director of the National Right to Work Foundation, issued the following statement: