News Release: Employee Files Federal Lawsuit against CWA Union Officials and Verizon for Ignoring Her Rights
Employee Files Federal Lawsuit against CWA Union Officials and Verizon for Ignoring Her Rights
Worker refused to abandon job during highly-publicized strike but Verizon management continues to illegally divert union dues from her paycheck
Newport News, VA (February 28, 2012) – In the wake of last year’s Communications Workers of America (CWA) union boss-instigated strike that grabbed national headlines, a Newport News, Virginia Verizon (NYSE: VZ) worker has filed a federal lawsuit against the company and a local union for violating her rights.
With free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation attorneys, Williamsburg resident Monika Cassell filed the lawsuit in federal district court against Verizon, the CWA and its affiliate, Local 2205, for refusing to honor her right to refrain from paying union dues.
Upset by CWA union officials’ strike order and unwilling to walk off their jobs, Cassell and several other Verizon employees resigned from the union last year and revoked their dues deduction authorizations – documents 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 money to a union. Under federal labor law, employees can revoke their dues deduction authorizations once a contract ends.
However, Verizon, at the behest of CWA union officials, continues to confiscate full union dues from Cassell and several of her coworkers despite their attempts to opt out.
Employee Files Federal Lawsuit against CWA Union Officials and Verizon for Ignoring Her Rights
Newport News, VA (February 28, 2012) – In the wake of last year’s Communications Workers of America (CWA) union boss-instigated strike that grabbed national headlines, a Newport News, Virginia Verizon (NYSE: VZ) worker has filed a federal lawsuit against the company and a local union for violating her rights.
With free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation attorneys, Williamsburg resident Monika Cassell filed the lawsuit in federal district court against Verizon, the CWA and its affiliate, Local 2205, for refusing to honor her right to refrain from paying union dues.
Upset by CWA union officials’ strike order and unwilling to walk off their jobs, Cassell and several other Verizon employees resigned from the union last year and revoked their dues deduction authorizations – documents 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 money to a union. Under federal labor law, employees can revoke their dues deduction authorizations once a contract ends.
However, Verizon, at the behest of CWA union officials, continues to confiscate full union dues from Cassell and several of her coworkers despite their attempts to opt out. Moreover, Verizon and union officials agreed to a contract that retroactively applies to the time no contract was in effect – a blatant attempt to corral the workers who exercised their right to refrain from dues paying union membership back into union ranks.
Cassell’s lawsuit also challenges 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 and union officials are forcing employees to pay full union dues for at least another year – the one-year anniversary of a new contract between Verizon and the CWA.
“Verizon is bowing to pressure from CWA officials and choosing to single out and punish those workers who chose to stay on their jobs during last year’s destructive and acrimonious strike,” said Mark Mix, President of National Right to Work. “It is indefensible that workers who exercised their right to resign their union membership and continued to work to support their families are now having their rights blatantly violated by their employer and union officials.”
NYC Marriott Officials Face Additional Charges for Silencing Employees Opposed to Backroom Deal
The saga continues, as New York City Marriott officials are facing additional federal charges for trying to force workers to accept local union officials’ unwanted "representation" and with it, the obligation of forced dues payments.
Last month, a group of SoHo Marriott workers targeted in a vicious campaign of intimidation and harassment by union organizers and company officials filed federal charges against Marriott and the union with free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation.
New York Hotel & Motel Trades Council Local 6 union organizers entered into a backroom deal (called a "neutrality agreement") with company officials. Of course, there is nothing "neutral" about the agreement, which allows union organizers unfettered access to the employees in order to install a union in the workplace while workers who wish to refrain from union affiliation are silenced with threats and punishment.
For example, Marriott worker Coralina Alcantara (who filed the latest around of charges against Marriott last week) and many of her colleagues are prohibited from meeting in the employee break room. Meanwhile, the company’s lawyer has been interrogating Coralina and her colleagues and threatening them for wishing to remain free from union boss shackles.
It should come to no surprise that the workers are now unanimously opposed to the union officials’ presence in the workplace. The same union officials have used video cameras in employee changing rooms, accessed employee lockers, handled employees’ personal possessions, and resorted to verbal abuse against workers. One union official even took photographs of a female employee without her consent while she was changing her uniform in an employee changing room. As reported in the New York Post last month:
Workers at a downtown hotel charge that union goons resorted to outrageous tactics to browbeat them into joining their ranks — going so far as to photograph a female staffer as she changed clothes in an employee locker room, apparently to blackmail her.
"I was wearing my uniform pants and my bra and holding my shirt to put it on when they started snapping pictures," front-desk worker Gisel Rodriguez, 28, recalled of the alleged sneak attack at the SoHo Courtyard Marriott in December.
"I was furious, really didn’t know what to do," she said. "They said, ‘We’re allowed to be here,’ and clicked away."
Rodriguez said she believes the union reps wanted to use the photos "as blackmail, to get us to sign."
News Release: SEIU and Hospital Officials Hit With Federal Charges for Rigging Union Card Check ‘Vote’
SEIU and Hospital Officials Hit With Federal Charges for Rigging Union Card Check ‘Vote’
Union organizers enter into corrupt agreement with hospital to force healthcare workers into union ranks using coercive card check tactics
Orange, California (February 13, 2012) – A healthcare worker has filed federal charges against a major healthcare union and hospital officials for illegally rigging a union organizing “vote” and then forcing workers to accept an unwanted union in the workplace.
With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation, Marlene Felter of Costa Mesa filed the charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare Workers West union officials and Chapman Medical Center management entered into a backroom deal known as a so-called “neutrality agreement” designed to grease the skids for workers to be forced into union ranks.
In the agreement, company officials granted union operatives access to company facilities to conduct a coercive “card check” organizing campaign, and waived the right to have a federally-supervised secret ballot election to determine whether employees wished to be unionized. Union organizers frequently use “card check” organizing tactics to bribe, browbeat, or cajole workers into forced-union-dues payments against their will.
SEIU and Hospital Officials Hit With Federal Charges for Rigging Union Card Check ‘Vote’
Orange, California (February 13, 2012) – A healthcare worker has filed federal charges against a major healthcare union and hospital officials for illegally rigging a union organizing “vote” and then forcing workers to accept an unwanted union in the workplace.
With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation, Marlene Felter of Costa Mesa filed the charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare Workers West union officials and Chapman Medical Center management entered into a backroom deal known as a so-called “neutrality agreement” designed to grease the skids for workers to be forced into union ranks.
In the agreement, company officials granted union operatives access to company facilities to conduct a coercive “card check” organizing campaign, and waived the right to have a federally-supervised secret ballot election to determine whether employees wished to be unionized. Union organizers frequently use “card check” organizing tactics to bribe, browbeat, or cajole workers into forced-union-dues payments against their will.
In response to the union’s coercive tactics, a majority of hospital workers signed cards, letters, and petitions stating that they did not want the SEIU union bosses’ so-called “representation.” Instead of respecting the employees’ wishes, Chapman officials accepted SEIU union officials as the workers’ monopoly bargaining agents after a rigged “card count” was held. Chapman and SEIU officials are now negotiating a contract, which almost certainly will include a provision to force the workers to pay union dues or fees as a condition of employment because California does not have a Right to Work law that makes union membership and dues payment strictly voluntary.
The federal unfair labor practice charges ask for an injunction to stop hospital and SEIU officials from illegally negotiating a contract on the basis of the fraudulent “card check” union recognition because the union does not have majority support of the workforce.
“Chapman and SEIU officials have colluded to shove SEIU union bosses’ ‘representation’ – and with it forced dues payments – down workers’ throats,” said Mark Mix, President of National Right to Work. “Schemes like this show that the ultimate goal of union officials is more forced dues collected from workers, even when rank-and-file employees want nothing to do with the union.”
News Release: AFSCME Union Bosses Hit With Federal Charges for Illegally Ordering Hospital Employee Fired
AFSCME Union Bosses Hit With Federal Charges for Illegally Ordering Hospital Employee Fired
Union officials demand worker be fired for exercising Constitutionally-protected right to refrain from full-dues-paying union membership
Saint Paul, Minnesota (February 13, 2012) – A Regions Hospital switchboard operator filed a federal charge against a local union for threatening to fire her for exercising her right to refrain from full-dues-paying union membership.
With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation, Rebecca Holt recently filed the charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 722 union bosses demanded Holt sign an “Authorization of Payroll Deduction” form authorizing union officials to deduct full union dues from her paycheck. Holt requested information about her rights, including her right to refrain from full-dues-paying union membership.
Because Minnesota does not have Right to Work protections for its workers, employees can be forced to pay a part of union dues as a condition of employment.
AFSCME Union Bosses Hit With Federal Charges for Illegally Ordering Hospital Employee Fired
Saint Paul, Minnesota (February 13, 2012) – A Regions Hospital switchboard operator filed a federal charge against a local union for threatening to fire her for exercising her right to refrain from full-dues-paying union membership.
With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation, Rebecca Holt recently filed the charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 722 union bosses demanded Holt sign an “Authorization of Payroll Deduction” form authorizing union officials to deduct full union dues from her paycheck. Holt requested information about her rights, including her right to refrain from full-dues-paying union membership.
Because Minnesota does not have Right to Work protections for its workers, employees can be forced to pay a part of union dues as a condition of employment. However, union officials cannot demand formal union membership to keep a job. The Foundation-won Supreme Court precedent Communication Workers v. Beck also holds that workers who refrain from union membership cannot be forced to pay for union activities unrelated to workplace bargaining, such as politics and political lobbying.
Instead of informing Holt of her rights, union officials initiated disciplinary procedures with the hospital to have her terminated from her job. Additionally, one union official attempted to bully Holt to sign the dues deduction authorization while she was working at her desk, prompting her immediate coworkers to look into their rights to refrain from union membership.
“Rebecca Holt is taking a courageous stand against the union officials’ campaign of intimidation and thuggery,” said Mark Mix, President of National Right to Work. “AFSCME union bosses are blatantly violating the law by attempting to have an employee fired for inquiring about her constitutional rights and for refusing to pay for the union’s political agenda.”
“Ultimately, Minnesota desperately needs a Right to Work law to protect workers from forced unionism abuses like this in the future,” added Mix.
News Release: Worker Advocate Launches Legal Task Force to Protect Indiana Right to Work Freedom
Worker Advocate Launches Legal Task Force to Protect Indiana Right to Work Freedom
Law prevents union officials from extracting union dues from workers as a condition of employment
Washington, DC (February 2, 2012) – The National Right to Work Foundation announced today that it is launching a legal task force aimed at protecting Indiana’s newly-enacted Right to Work law.
Union officials publicly floated the idea of challenging the law in Indiana’s courts before the law was even passed by the Indiana state senate.
Indiana is the nation’s 23rd Right to Work state after the state senate passed the bill and Governor Mitch Daniels signed the bill into law on Wednesday.
Foundation attorneys have successfully defended state Right to Work laws in the past, including Oklahoma’s. The task force has already examined reported union lines of attack and determined that Indiana’s Right to Work law is on sound legal ground.
“Union bosses want to undo what thousands of Hoosier citizens have worked hard for over the past decade,” said Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Foundation. “Because union partisans cannot win the hearts and minds of Indiana’s workers and voters, they seek to have the courts strike down Indiana’s popular Right to Work law for them.”
Worker Advocate Launches Legal Task Force to Protect Indiana Right to Work Freedom
Washington, DC (February 2, 2012) – The National Right to Work Foundation announced today that it is launching a legal task force aimed at protecting Indiana’s newly-enacted Right to Work law.
Union officials publicly floated the idea of challenging the law in Indiana’s courts before the law was even passed by the Indiana state senate.
Indiana is the nation’s 23rd Right to Work state after the state senate passed the bill and Governor Mitch Daniels signed the bill into law on Wednesday.
Foundation attorneys have successfully defended state Right to Work laws in the past, including Oklahoma’s. The task force has already examined reported union lines of attack and determined that Indiana’s Right to Work law is on sound legal ground.
“Union bosses want to undo what thousands of Hoosier citizens have worked hard for over the past decade,” said Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Foundation. “Because union partisans cannot win the hearts and minds of Indiana’s workers and voters, they seek to have the courts strike down Indiana’s popular Right to Work law for them.”
In addition to defending the Right to Work law from spurious union legal challenges, National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation staff attorneys are, as always, available to give free legal aid to employees seeking to exercise their Right to Work. Because the Indiana law applies only to forced dues clauses entered into after March 14, 2012, many employees may not be able to cut off all dues immediately. However, those employees can still exercise their right to refrain from formal union membership and cut off union dues being spent on politics.
Public polling shows that nearly 80 percent of Americans support the Right to Work principle, including 80 percent of union members.
Information about Indiana’s Right to Work law, including how Indiana employees can exercise their Right to Work can be found on the Foundation’s website: www.nrtw.org.
News Release: Right to Work Foundation Attorneys Move to Disqualify Controversial Recess Appointees from Six Cases
Right to Work Foundation Attorneys Move to Disqualify Controversial Recess Appointees from Six Cases
Argue Labor Board does not have legitimate quorum to hear pending cases
Washington, DC (January 30, 2012) – Today, National Right to Work Foundation attorneys filed motions with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to disqualify President Barack Obama’s recent purported recess appointees to the agency from participating in the Foundation’s six cases pending before the Board.
Foundation attorneys argue that the appointments are unconstitutional and, therefore, the Board lacks the quorum necessary to hear Foundation cases. This legal challenge is part of an ongoing controversy over the constitutionality of Obama’s recent move to install three members to the NLRB as "recess appointees" despite the fact that the U.S. Senate was not in recess.
Foundation attorneys also were among the first to challenge the constitutionality of Obama’s "recess appointments" in federal court. An earlier motion challenging the appointments, filed by the Foundation and other plaintiffs challenging the NLRB’s notice posting rules, is pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Read the entire release here.
Read one of the Foundation attorneys’ motions to disqualify the "recess appointees" here.
