Right to Work President Mark Mix on PJTV: Part I of guided tour to the lavish headquarters of Washington, D.C.’s biggest unions
Right to Work President Mark Mix is interviewed by Jennifer Rubin of PJTV on the lavish spending habits of Big Labor’s high-rollers. Here’s the video (courtesy of Pajamas Media):
Nevada Employees Secure Right to Proceed with Workplace Complaints Without Union Interference
Clark County, NV (July 31, 2009) – A Nevada District Court has just ruled in favor of a Clark County construction management inspector, reaffirming the right of all Nevada public employees to pursue workplace complaints individually rather than rely on unwanted union officials to navigate the grievance process.
In January 2007, Mathew Burke filed a formal grievance with the Clark County Human Resources Office, alleging that his supervisor forced him to perform duties outside the scope of his employment. The County dismissed Burke’s complaint, indicating that any grievance should go through union officials despite Burke’s nonunion status and his lack of confidence in the union’s effectiveness.
With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation, Burke subsequently challenged that decision at the Nevada Local Government Employee-Management Relations Board. Burke testified that as a nonunion employee, he was unsatisfied with being represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1107, the monopoly bargaining agent for his employer. Despite protests from County and SEIU officials, the Board ruled that Burke had the right to file individual grievances related to the terms of his employment without the union’s involvement.
Clark County officials then requested judicial review of the Board’s decision, claiming that under the union’s collective bargaining agreement, employees are not permitted to pursue individual workplace grievances. After reviewing the facts of the case, District Court Judge Douglas Herndon ruled in Burke’s favor, stating that Nevada law allows nonunion public employees to file complaints without union interference.
“Mr. Burke’s experience reveals the fundamental injustice of monopoly bargaining,” said Stefan Gleason, vice president of the National Right to Work Foundation. “Workers should be able to file grievances and represent themselves individually, free from the interference of union officials who may not have their best interests at heart or who may even be in collusion with management.”
Obama Administration Claims Desire to Cut Federal Spending, Places Union Corruption Unit on the Chopping Block
Here at Freedom@Work, we’ve spent some time documenting the Obama Administration’s efforts to gut basic union transparency guidelines under the guise of saving money. We’ve also urged concerned readers to get involved to help stop the Department of Labor from rolling back transparency requirements aimed at curbing Big Labor’s corrupt practices. Unfortunately, the worst may be yet to come — the Administration has just announced its potential plans to close the Employment Standards Administration, an office tasked with rooting out union corruption:
The Obama Administration has found a way to cut $100 million from the federal budget and one of the items on the chopping block is an office inside the Department of Labor that conducts oversight of labor unions.
Pursuant to President Obama’s April order that federal agencies come up with away to eliminate $100 million in wasteful spending, White House Budget Chief Peter Orzsag and Cabinet Secretary Christopher Lu issued a 20-page list of items to cut to the president on Monday.
One of the proposed cost-saving measures is the disbanding of the Employment Standards Administration (page 11 in the link), an office in the Department of Labor that has the power to audit and investigate labor unions for corruption and embezzlement.
While transparency is no substitute for rolling back union bosses’ many government-granted privileges, the Administration’s eagerness to give its Big Labor allies a free pass on financial disclosure shows a callous disregard for the rank-and-file workers whose money union bosses are spending. So long as workers across the country are being forced to pay union dues just to keep their jobs, they should be getting more information about how their seized dues are being spent, not less.
Postal Worker Files FEC Complaint for Illegal Union PAC Money Laundering Scheme
Nashua, New Hampshire (July 28, 2009) – The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation has filed a formal complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) asking it to investigate charges made by a Nashua-area postal worker who discovered his annual union membership dues were illegally diverted into the union’s political action committee (PAC).
In July 2006, United States Postal Service employee Philip Wakeman paid $429 in membership dues to join the National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU), a division of the Laborers’ International Union. On the “Memo” line at the bottom of the check, he wrote “Union Dues.” A union official later acknowledged receipt of the union dues.
In October 2008, over two years after submitting the check to the NPMHU union, a stranger called Wakeman on an unrelated matter and informed him that she found his information on the Internet. The stranger then suggested that he do a “Google” Internet search of his name. After doing so, Mr. Wakeman was astounded to find his name disclosed as making a contribution to the NPMHU PAC in the exact amount of his annual NPMHU union membership dues – all without his knowledge.
Apparently NPMHU union bosses had illegally diverted his dues payment to the union’s PAC. Mr. Wakeman contacted the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, and Foundation attorneys filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission for him and the Foundation.
It is illegal for union officials to fund union PACs using “dues, fees, or other moneys required as a condition of membership in a labor organization.” NPMHU union bosses are also accused of violating federal election law by making a political campaign contribution in another person’s name and soliciting political contributions under false pretenses while failing to inform Mr. Wakeman that his membership dues would be used for political purposes.
“This union money laundering scheme makes a mockery of the right to political autonomy,” said Stefan Gleason, vice president of the National Right to Work Foundation. “Foundation attorneys intend to trigger prosecution of this NPMHU union boss political fundraising fraud and an investigation into whether there is a larger scheme afoot. We urge the FEC to take decisive action.”
AT&T Worker Hits Union Bosses With Federal Charges for Illegal Forced Dues Demands
Mayville, WI (July 28, 2009) – With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation, a Mayville-based AT&T employee has filed federal unfair labor practice charges against a local union for a series of illegal demands.
In charges filed last Friday at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), John Scott of Campbellsport, Wisconsin details a litany of abuses involving the Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 4622 union and its national affiliate, including an illegal attempt to force workers to continue to pay dues after the union’s contract with their employer expired. Union officials’ previous agreement with AT&T contained a provision requiring nonmember employees to pay certain union dues or be fired from their jobs, but now that the agreement has lapsed, nonunion workers cannot be compelled to pay any dues whatsoever.
These allegations follow several other reports of unlawful coercion of AT&T workers at the hands of CWA operatives. AT&T employees in St. Louis recently filed similar charges, indicating that CWA officials forced them to pay dues after their contract with AT&T expired.
Scott also alleges that CWA officials refused to recognize his right to refrain from paying union dues unrelated to collective bargaining. Under the Foundation-won Supreme Court precedent Communication Workers v. Beck, nonunion workers can be forced to pay certain dues as a condition of employment, but they cannot be compelled to fund any union activities unrelated to bargaining, such as political activism, lobbying, and public relations.
Although union officials never formally acknowledged Scott’s right not to pay certain dues, they also insisted that any worker who opted-out of fees unrelated to workplace bargaining must annually renew their objections. Despite several adverse rulings from administrative law judges, CWA officials continue to force workers to annually renew their objections to union dues.
With AT&T contracts expiring nationwide, union bosses appear to be ramping up their efforts to keep unwilling employees in line. Other charges filed with the assistance of National Right to Work Foundation attorneys in St. Louis and New Jersey allege that CWA operatives attempted to force nonunion workers to abandon their jobs at the drop of a hat in the event of a CWA strike.
“It’s absurd that AT&T employees are forced to jump through this many hoops just to reclaim their forced union dues,” said Stefan Gleason, vice president of the National Right to Work Foundation. “No worker should be forced to pay tribute to a union boss just to get or keep a job.”
Election Fundraising Fraud: Granite State Union Bosses Illegally Divert Worker’s Dues Money to Union PAC
When Nashua, New Hampshire postal worker Philip Wakeman paid dues to the National Post Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU), a division of the Laborers’ International Union, he had no idea that union bosses would illegally launder his money into their political coffers.
In July 2006, Mr. Wakeman gave a check to the NPMHU union for the full amount of his annual union dues. On the "Memo" line at the bottom of the check, he wrote "Union Dues." A union official later acknowledged receipt of the dues and everything seemed fine – that is – until he received a bizarre phone call.
In October 2008, over two years after submitting the check to the NPMHU union, a stranger informed Wakeman that she found his information on the internet and suggested he do a "Google" internet search of his name. The search results were astounding: Mr. Wakeman found his name disclosed as making a contribution in the exact amount of his annual NPMHU union membership dues to the NPMHU Political Action Committee (PAC) – all without his knowledge.
Apparently NPMHU union bosses had illegally diverted his dues payment to the union’s PAC. Wakeman contacted the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation and Foundation attorneys filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission.
It is illegal for union officials to fund union PACs using "dues, fees, or other moneys required as a condition of membership in a labor organization." NPMHU union bosses are also accused of violating federal election law by making a political campaign contribution in another person’s name and failing to inform Mr. Wakeman that his membership dues would be used for political purposes.
To read the Foundation’s media release regarding the FEC complaint, click here.
To read the FEC complaint, click here.
Workers Slap Communications Union Bosses With Federal Charges for Illegal Forced Dues Demands
St. Louis, MO (July 23, 2009) – With free legal assistance from National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation attorneys, two St. Louis-based AT&T employees have filed federal unfair labor practice charges against union officials for illegal coercion.
The charges outline a series of abuses involving Communication Workers of America (CWA) Local 6300 union and its national affiliate, including an illegal attempt to force one worker to participate in a general strike. These allegations come on the heels of similar charges filed by AT&T employees in New Jersey, who also report that CWA militants attempted to force them to participate in an upcoming work stoppage.
David McBride of Granite City, Illinois and Jeanette Burton of Imperial, Missouri allege that union officials engaged in a series of abusive and illegal practices. In addition to attempting to force McBride to participate in a strike, union operatives refused to recognize either workers’ right to refrain from paying forced union dues unrelated to collective bargaining. Under the Foundation-won Supreme Court precedent Communication Workers v. Beck, nonunion workers can be forced to pay certain dues or lose their jobs, but they cannot be compelled to fund any union activities unconnected to workplace bargaining, including political activism, lobbying, and public relations.
After union officials finally acknowledged the employees’ rights to opt-out of certain dues, they continued to insist that both workers had to renew their objections annually. Moreover, CWA Local 6300 also failed to provide both workers with an independently-verified breakdown of union expenditures. An audited disclosure of union finances is required by Foundation-won legal precedents to ensure nonunion workers are not being compelled to pay for non-bargaining activities.
Finally, union officials continued to force both workers to pay dues after the union’s contract with AT&T expired in April 2009. The union hierarchy’s previous agreement with AT&T contained a provision requiring nonmember employees to pay union dues for collective bargaining, but now that the agreement has lapsed, neither employee can be compelled to pay any dues to CWA officials.
The charges will now be investigated by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
“It’s absurd that AT&T employees are forced to jump through this many hoops just to reclaim their forced union dues, and the union’s efforts to force one worker off the job is even worse” said Stefan Gleason, vice president of the National Right to Work Foundation. “No worker should be forced to pay tribute to a union boss just to get or keep a job.”
New Right to Work Video Report: Foundation Unveils Union Boss Translation Device
The National Right to Work Foundation assembled a crack team of experts to construct a revolutionary new device that translates union boss propaganda into plain English. We decided to test the prototype on a recent speech from a top teacher union lawyer – click on the video below to watch the results:
As always, be sure to check back regularly at the Foundation’s YouTube Channel for more Right to Work video updates.
Big Labor Syndicate Hires ACORN Henchmen To Run ‘Mob-Style Protection Racket’
In case you missed it, earlier this month the Washington Examiner reported that from 2005 to 2008, Big Labor’s big money boys have funneled nearly $10 million from forced-dues-fueled union treasuries to the scandal-ridden Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now (popularly known as "ACORN") and its affiliates.
According to the report, leading the way is the scandal-plauged Service Employees International Union (SEIU), doling out a whopping $7.4 million; followed by the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), the Longshore and Warehouse Union, the Communication Workers of America (CWA), and the National Education Association (NEA) unions. The Examiner also notes:
SEIU Locals 100 and 880 were listed as allied organizations on ACORN’s web site until The Examiner highlighted this connection.
LM-2’s show over $600,000 in contributions between these SEIU locals and other ACORN operations. A 2007 LM-2 form shows SEIU Local 880, which is active in Illinois and Minnesota, donated $60,118 to ACORN for "membership services." Organized labor has kicked it back in the form of gifts and grants to ACORN totaling $2.4 million, according to the disclosure forms.
ACORN activists have participated in highly aggressive, well-coordinated anti-corporate campaigns across the country unofficially called “Muscle for Money” funded by SEIU.
In other words, SEIU union kingpins shelled out top dollar for ACORN activists to conduct corporate shakedown campaigns, with tactics that include crashing business meetings and harassing company officials and their families at their own homes, to extract corporate donations and intimidate employers into accepting the Big Labor syndicate’s compulsory unionism agenda (which prominently includes forcing the companies’ workers into union ranks).
One must wonder if the workers who are "represented" by SEIU union bosses are even aware that their dues are funding a "mob-style ‘protection’ racket."
To learn about your rights, including your right to opt out of paying union dues which union bosses use on non-bargaining activities such as union politics, lobbying, and member-only events, please check out the Foundation’s "Know Your Rights" page here.
Catholic Teaching and Right to Work
Earlier this month, AFL-CIO union chief John Sweeney sunk his teeth into Pope Benedict XVI’s latest encyclical, Charity in Truth, which addresses the global economy and, in part, the role of unions — and that nation’s largest union boss umbrella organization even insinuated that the Vatican supports passage of the Card Check Forced Unionism Bill.
But it’s worth revisiting the Catholic Church’s teachings on human freedom, autonomy, and politics. Several years ago, National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation attorney Richard Clair compiled an educational dossier on Catholicism, unions, and Right to Work. For instance, in 1981, Pope John Paul II wrote about unions:
[T]he number of associations of almost every possible kind, especially of associations of workers, is now far greater than ever before. . . . But the opinion is, and it is one confirmed by a good deal of evidence, that they are largely under the control of secret leaders and that these leaders apply principles which are in harmony with neither Christianity nor the welfare of States, and that, after having possession of all available work, they contrive that those who refuse to join with them will be forced by want to pay the penalty. Under these circumstances, workers who are Christians must choose one of two things; either to join associations in which it is greatly to be feared that there is danger to religion, or to form their own associations and unite their forces in such a way that they may be able manfully to free themselves from such unjust and intolerable oppression. Can they who refuse to place man’s highest good in imminent jeopardy hesitate to affirm that the second course is by all means to be followed?
Emphasis added. Right to Work laws protect true freedom of association for Christians and non-Christians alike, allowing them to act on their conscience if they disagree with a union’s practices. Moreover, once a workplace is unionized, monopoly bargaining provisions in labor law actually ban dissenting employees, including Christians, to form their own associations or unions to negotiate with employer.
John Paul also addressed the destructive effects of the politicization of unions:
[T]he role of unions is not to "play politics" in the sense that the expression is commonly understood today. Unions do not have the character of political parties struggling for power; they should not be subjected to the decision of political parties or have too close links with them. In fact, in such a situation they easily lose contact with their specific role, which is to secure the just rights of workers within the framework of the common good of the whole of society; instead they become an instrument used for other purposes.
In total, Big Labor spent well over one billion dollars in the 2008 election cycle to elect their favored candidates. And now, their favored politicians are rewarding the union bosses by slashing union financial transparency regulations and appointing union chiefs and their allies to key positions in the Department of Labor, National Labor Relations Board, and other agencies and offices.
Furthermore, Clair notes that other aspects of Big Labor’s politicking tend to diverge from other Catholic teachings:
Eventually, [University of Detroit professor Robert] Roesser discovered that the NEA union was heavily involved in promoting abortion rights. When he thought about his dues money going to an organization with such an immoral agenda and compared it with the "Vatican Declaration on Abortion," which says that it is a serious sin to "take part in a propaganda campaign in favor of such a law," as well as "Christ Speaks Through His Church About Abortion" and the 1895 encyclical of Pope Leo XIII on Catholicism in the United States titled, "Longinqua," he came to the conclusion that, in good conscience, he could no longer financially support the NEA and the MEA, the state and national levels that were involved in promoting abortion rights.
Roesser asked the NEA union brass if he could pay his fees to a charity instead, but the union bosses refused to accommodate his religious objection and had him fired (he eventually prevailed in the courts with free legal aid from the National Right to Work Foundation).
Read the rest of "Catholic Social Teaching and Right to Work" here (PDF).
