Local Cold Storage Warehouse Worker Files Federal Unfair Labor Practice Charge against UFCW Union

Union officials post coercive notices to mislead workers into dues-paying ranks

Rochelle, IL (September 19, 2013) – An Americold Logistics warehouse employee has filed a federal charge against a local union for violating her rights and posting coercive notices in the workplace designed to mislead workers into dues-paying ranks.

Karen Cox of Dixon filed the federal charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) with free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys.

In June 2012, a local affiliate of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) unionized Cox’s workplace. However, union and company officials did not reach a contract until June 2013. During that time, Cox began a campaign to remove the unwanted union from her workplace. In August, the workers voted in a secret-ballot election whether to remove the union from their workplace. At the request of the union hierarchy, the results of the election have been impounded pending review by the NLRB.

In September, union officials posted a notice in the workplace demanding workers become full dues paying union members, or they will be fired.

Click here to read the full release.

Rochelle, IL (September 19, 2013) – An Americold Logistics warehouse employee has filed a federal charge against a local union for violating her rights and posting coercive notices in the workplace designed to mislead workers into dues-paying ranks.

Karen Cox of Dixon filed the federal charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) with free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys.

In June 2012, a local affiliate of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) unionized Cox’s workplace. However, union and company officials did not reach a contract until June 2013. During that time, Cox began a campaign to remove the unwanted union from her workplace. In August, the workers voted in a secret-ballot election whether to remove the union from their workplace. At the request of the union hierarchy, the results of the election have been impounded pending review by the NLRB.

In September, union officials posted a notice in the workplace demanding workers become full dues paying union members, or they will be fired.

The notice did not inform workers of their rights to refrain from union membership and full dues payments — rights long upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. Also the union falsely stated that the workers must fill out a union dues deduction authorization form as a condition of their employment, although workers cannot lawfully be required to fill out such a form to pay union dues.

Because Illinois does not have Right to Work protections for its workers, Cox and her coworkers could be forced to pay union dues or fees as a condition of employment if the union is not removed as a result of the workers’ August vote. However, because the results of the election are unknown, Cox asks the Board to allow workers to retroactively refrain from union membership and full dues payments back to the time they were first subject to the union monopoly agreement.

Cox also asks that union officials be required to keep all dues and fees seized from workers in an escrow account pending the results of the August election with the condition that union officials must return the money to the workers if a majority of the workers had voted to remove the union from their workplace.

“Union officials are posting legally-suspect notices to coerce workers into paying full union dues when they may not have to,” said Mark Mix, president of the National Right to Work Foundation. “Cases like this underscore the need for Illinois to pass a Right to Work law making union affiliation and dues payments completely voluntary.”

Reading, PA (September 12, 2013) – A FirstEnergy Corp. worker has filed a federal charge against a local union for violating her rights.

With free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, Deborah Adie of Orwigsburg filed the charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). In the charge, Adie alleges that International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 777 union officials demanded she join the union or she would lose her job.

Under federal law, no worker can be forced to formally join a union. However, because Pennsylvania is not a Right to Work state, workers can be forced to pay union dues or fees as a condition of employment. IBEW Local 777 union officials never informed Adie of her right to refrain from full-dues-paying union membership, a right upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in the Right to Work Foundation-won Communications Workers v. Beck case.

In mid-March, Adie wrote a letter to the union hierarchy resigning her union membership and objecting to paying full union dues. Despite her request, union officials refused to acknowledge her resignation, and they continue to collect full union dues from her paychecks.

In April, Adie was told by a union official that she needed to fill out a union form instead of her March resignation letter in order to resign membership. Because she failed to turn in that form, she was notified that the union would not recognize her resignation and would continue to take full union dues from her paychecks.

Adie’s charge also challenges the provision of the IBEW Local 777’s monopoly bargaining agreement with FirstEnergy that illegally requires workers to remain in the union as a condition of their employment.

“No worker should ever be forced to join or pay dues to an unwanted union just to get or keep a job,” said Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Foundation. “And no worker should be required to jump through hoops just to exercise their rights.”

“This case underscores why Pennsylvania needs to pass a Right to Work law making union membership and dues payments completely voluntary,” added Mix.

Twenty-four states have Right to Work protections for employees. Public polling shows that nearly 80 percent of Americans and union members support the Right to Work principle of voluntary unionism.

FirstEnergy Worker Files Federal Charge Against Local Electrical Worker Union

Union officials threaten worker to join union or lose her job

Reading, PA (September 12, 2013) – A FirstEnergy Corp. worker has filed a federal charge against a local union for violating her rights.

With free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, Deborah Adie of Orwigsburg filed the charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). In the charge, Adie alleges that International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 777 union officials demanded she join the union or she would lose her job.

Click here to read the full release.

Federal Court Upholds Wisconsin Governor’s Public-Sector Unionism Reforms, Right to Work Protections

National Right to Work Foundation attorneys filed brief in support of “Act 10”

Madison, WI (September 11, 2013) – Today, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin upheld Governor Scott Walker’s 2011 public-sector unionism reform measures, also known as “Act 10,” which included giving most Wisconsin public workers the Right to Work.

With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation and the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, two Wisconsin public employees moved to intervene in the lawsuit in favor of the law after Laborers Local 236 union officials challenged the law in the federal court. The court permitted the two civil servants to file an amicus brief.

Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Foundation, released the following statement in regards to the court’s decision:

“The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin has upheld the constitutionality of ‘Act 10.’ The court’s decision is a powerful victory for individual workers who do not want anything to do with an unwanted union in their workplace.selves whether or not to join or financially support a union.”

Click here to read the full release.

Madison, WI (September 11, 2013) – Today, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin upheld Governor Scott Walker’s 2011 public-sector unionism reform measures, also known as “Act 10,” which included giving most Wisconsin public workers the Right to Work.

With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation and the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, two Wisconsin public employees moved to intervene in the lawsuit in favor of the law after Laborers Local 236 union officials challenged the law in the federal court. The court permitted the two civil servants to file an amicus brief.

Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Foundation, released the following statement in regards to the court’s decision:

“The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin has upheld the constitutionality of ‘Act 10.’ The court’s decision is a powerful victory for individual workers who do not want anything to do with an unwanted union in their workplace.

“We’re happy that the court rejected the empty arguments of union officials who have had a free ride on the backs of taxpayers and government workers for too long. The decision ensures that thousands of Wisconsin’s civil servants will continue to have the freedom to decide for themselves whether or not to join or financially support a union.

“No worker should ever be forced to pay union dues or fees as a condition of employment, which is why Wisconsin should guarantee that right for all Wisconsin workers, including private-sector employees and public safety workers, through a Right to Work law.”

Local Union Faces Prosecution after Union Official Threatens School Bus Driver with Physical Violence

Union official said if he found worker alone, he would “stomp” him

Gresham, OR (September 5, 2013) – A local union is facing a federal prosecution after a union official from the union threatened a First Student, Inc. bus driver with physical violence.

The prosecution comes after the bus driver filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) with free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys.

The driver filed the charge after an Oregon School Employees Association, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 6732 union official tore down informational notices posted by the driver and threatened to “stomp” him if he ever found him alone. The notices included information on how the workers can, with a majority vote, remove the union hierarchy’s ability to collect forced union dues and fees from nonmember drivers.

Click here to read the full release.

Gresham, OR (September 5, 2013) – A local union is facing a federal prosecution after a union official from the union threatened a First Student, Inc. bus driver with physical violence.

The prosecution comes after the bus driver filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) with free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys.

The driver filed the charge after an Oregon School Employees Association, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 6732 union official tore down informational notices posted by the driver and threatened to “stomp” him if he ever found him alone. The notices included information on how the workers can, with a majority vote, remove the union hierarchy’s ability to collect forced union dues and fees from nonmember drivers.

The driver posted the notice after he was one of 10 drivers who won an NLRB settlement after AFT Local 6732 union officials demanded that all drivers join the union and pay full union dues or face discharge. The settlement came after AFT Local 6732 union officials illegally confiscated full union dues from the drivers’ paychecks without informing the workers of their right to refrain from formal union membership. Union officials confiscated full union dues from both drivers who refused to join the union and drivers who joined the union with objections because they thought they had no choice.

Because Oregon does not have Right to Work protections making union affiliation completely voluntary, the nonmember bus drivers can be forced to pay part of union dues to keep their jobs. However, nonmember workers can refrain from paying for union politics and members-only events.

“AFT Local 6732 union officials have already made a mockery of federal law in order to keep their forced dues gravy train going,” said Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Foundation. “Now they are turning to outright violence to get their way.”

“This case underscores the need for Oregon to pass state Right to Work protections for its workers,” added Mix.

Twenty-four states have Right to Work protections for employees. Public polling shows that nearly 80 percent of Americans and union members support the principle of voluntary unionism.