Strikes

Legacy of Big Labor Violence: A Growing Problem

Anthony Riedel — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 15:58:53 -0400

As previously reported on the Freedom@Work blog, union militants are certainly making headlines of late using violent tactics and vandalism to prove their point.

Stunningly, union thugs in Michigan may have taken this to the next level last week when John King, owner of King Electrical Services, was reportedly shot by a union goon spraying the word "scab" on the side of his car in the driveway.

Of course this should surprise no one familiar with the violent legacy of Big Labor, including that of AFL-CIO union boss Richard Trumka. But for good measure, the Investor's Business Daily (IBD) opined today about union bosses' reliance on violence to get their way:

Union Boss Militancy and Violence on Display During Verizon Strike

Nick Cote — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 11:52:58 -0400

Days into the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) union boss-ordered strike against Verizon, disturbing reports of union militancy -- and their effects on workers and customers alike -- are becoming widespread. The Associated Press have reported over 70 instances of sabotage in just the first few days of the strike.

In the video below (warning: explicit language), a striking union militant uses his young daughter as a prop, demanding she block a Verizon truck from moving while he curses out the Verizon employees in the truck.

Here's a rundown of some of the other disturbing reports:

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

Anthony Riedel — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 13:52:04 -0400

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

Union officials’ illegal forced-dues scheme violated possibly thousands of workers’ rights

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.

Right to Work Attorneys Help Minneapolis Nurses Fight Back Against Union Intimidation

Will Collins — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 18:18:27 -0400

Faced with a looming strike on June 10, 2010, several Minneapolis nurses refused to follow union boss marching orders and instead stayed on the job to care for their patients. Although they resigned their membership before the strike took place, three nurses were threatened with union disciplinary hearings for refusing to walk off the job. With the help of Right to Work attorneys, these nurses have now filed unfair labor practice charges to hold union officials accountable for their heavy-handed intimidation tactics. Here's a video report on the incident from a local Minneapolis station:

Arizona Workers: Know Your Rights!

Will Collins — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:43:59 -0500

Yesterday, The National Right to Work Foundation announced an offer of free legal aid to workers forced to go on strike by UFCW union bosses in Arizona. Now it seems that employee discontent has forced the union hierarchy to back-off its strike threats and bargain with Safeway and Fry's.

However, reports are that union officials has still not agreed to a new contract, so workers dissatisfied with union representation can:

Worker Advocate Offers Free Legal Aid to Employees Ordered Off the Job During Fry’s/Safeway Strike

Anthony Riedel — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:46:41 -0500

Worker Advocate Offers Free Legal Aid to Employees Ordered Off the Job During Fry’s/Safeway Strike

National Right to Work Foundation releases legal notice to inform workers of their rights during likely upcoming UFCW-ordered strike

Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona (November 12, 2009) – America’s preeminent workers’ rights advocacy organization which helps victims of union coercion is offering free legal aid to workers whose rights are abused during the United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) union-ordered strike scheduled to begin tomorrow.

UPS-Teamsters Conspiracy to Coerce FedEx Employees into Union Ranks Recalls Ugly Union Violence

Nick Cote — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 17:28:40 -0400

The woefully misnamed Employee Free Choice Act (better known as the Card Check Forced Unionism Bill) isn't the only proposed union boss power grab pending in Congress. Big Labor's high command is always looking for new ways to force more workers into dues-paying ranks -- pushing bills from Card Check Forced Unionism to Police and Fire Monopoly Bargaining.

Forced Unionism Injects Ugly Conflict into the Workplace

Nick Cote — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:07:33 -0500

Ronald Trowbridge has an excellent op-ed in Saturday's Houston Chronicle about the corrosive effects on forced unionism in the workplace.

Some years ago, I crossed a faculty picket line at a large university — the only faculty member out of several hundred professors to cross. Every fiber in my body opposed the strike, and I was pathologically unable to not cross. The nightmare that followed was the most stressful experience in my life, save for the cancer and death of my wife.

What happened?

As for my professorial friends, Frank screamed to me down the pathway filled with students, "You a******!" Walter said he was going to take a picture of my crossing the line and show it to people, hoping that I would get hurt.

read more

Foundation Helps Employees Win NLRB Ruling for Worker Free Choice

Will Collins — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:12:34 -0400

A recent ruling by a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) administrative law judge upheld the right of employees to sign a union decertification petition in the midst of a debilitating strike. More importantly, the ruling also endorsed the employer's refusal to hand over non-striking workers' home addresses and other personal information to union officials bent on harassment and intimidation.

"The Only Good Scab is a Dead Scab"

Justin Hakes — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:30:44 -0400

That's what one person commented on YouTube about our latest video. Though sad, the sentiment is indicative of the mind set that led to such hostility against the employees in the video that simply exercised their Right to Work.

Unfortunately, history shows that it gets even worse.