Washington, DC (May 24, 2012) – Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Foundation, released the following statement on the re-nomination of Lafe Solomon to the NLRB:

“Re-nominating Lafe Solomon, the NLRB lawyer who persecuted Boeing and South Carolina employees for having jobs in a Right to Work state, is slap in the face for independent workers and job providers. It’s telling that Obama waited to announce this on Friday before a holiday weekend as Congress is leaving town. He knows it’s not a popular move and is hoping that this latest sop to Big Labor will go unnoticed.”

For more information on the Boeing case and the National Right to Work Foundation’s involvement, click here.  

Voluntary Emergency Responders Challenge Forced Unionism Scheme

Union bosses demand firefighters join union or be fired

Harford, MD (May 22, 2013) – Three Harford County emergency responders have filed charges against a local union for violating their rights and illegally demanding that they join the union.

With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation, the first responders filed the unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

Beginning in November 2012, the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 4847 union became the exclusive bargaining representative of the emergency responders at Harford County Volunteer Fire and EMS Foundation. Between November and April, the union hierarchy never informed the workers of any financial obligations they would have to meet to keep working for the County Foundation.

Then, on April 1, 2013, IAFF Local 4847 union officials demanded the workers join the union and pay full union dues. Under federal law, no worker can be forced to formally join a union. However, because Maryland is not a Right to Work state, workers can be forced to pay union dues or fees as a condition of employment.

Click here to read the full release.

Harford, MD (May 22, 2013) – Three Harford County emergency responders have filed charges against a local union for violating their rights and illegally demanding that they join the union.

With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation, the first responders filed the unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

Beginning in November 2012, the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 4847 union became the exclusive bargaining representative of the emergency responders at Harford County Volunteer Fire and EMS Foundation. Between November and April, the union hierarchy never informed the workers of any financial obligations they would have to meet to keep working for the County Foundation.

Then, on April 1, 2013, IAFF Local 4847 union officials demanded the workers join the union and pay full union dues. Under federal law, no worker can be forced to formally join a union. However, because Maryland is not a Right to Work state, workers can be forced to pay union dues or fees as a condition of employment.

IAFF Local 4847 union officials never informed the workers of their right to refrain from full-dues-paying union membership as upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in the Right to Work Foundation-won Communications Workers v. Beck case. Under Beck, nonmember workers cannot be legally compelled to pay union dues used for union politics and member-only events.

Additionally, the IAFF union officials refused to provide the workers with the amount of union dues or fees nonmember workers must pay as a condition of their employment or a reasonable opportunity to refrain from full dues payments. On May 13, IAFF union officials demanded that the Harford County Volunteer Fire and EMS Foundation terminate the three workers and others for failing to pay union dues.

“IAFF union bosses have long opposed volunteer firefighting and these illegal demands are just another example,” said Patrick Semmens, Vice President for Public Information of the National Right to Work Foundation. “Maryland desperately needs a Right to Work law making union membership and dues-payments completely voluntary to prevent this type of union boss abuse in the future.”

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.

Nurses File Federal Charges Against SEIU and Hospital Corporation for Coercive Scheme

Corrupt agreement forces nurses into union ranks without vote

Thousand Oaks, California (May 20, 2013) – Three nurses at Thousand Oaks Surgical Hospital have filed federal charges against a major healthcare union and the hospital corporation for illegally forcing them and their coworkers into an unwanted union.

With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation, the three nurses filed the unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

In late November 2012, Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) Holdings, Inc.-owned Los Robles Hospital purchased Thousand Oaks Surgical Hospital. In late April 2013, HCA Holdings, Inc. and Los Robles Hospital management announced that Thousand Oaks Surgical Hospital workers were “represented” by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare Workers West and SEIU Local 121 RN union officials and “accreted” into to the pre-existing Los Robles-SEIU monopoly bargaining units.

SEIU union officials and HCA management have long been parties to a so-called “neutrality agreement” designed to force healthcare workers into SEIU ranks without proper procedural protections.

Click here to read the full release.

Thousand Oaks, California (May 20, 2013) – Three nurses at Thousand Oaks Surgical Hospital have filed federal charges against a major healthcare union and the hospital corporation for illegally forcing them and their coworkers into an unwanted union.

With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation, the three nurses filed the unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

In late November 2012, Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) Holdings, Inc.-owned Los Robles Hospital purchased Thousand Oaks Surgical Hospital. In late April 2013, HCA Holdings, Inc. and Los Robles Hospital management announced that Thousand Oaks Surgical Hospital workers were “represented” by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare Workers West and SEIU Local 121 RN union officials and “accreted” into to the pre-existing Los Robles-SEIU monopoly bargaining units.

SEIU union officials and HCA management have long been parties to a so-called “neutrality agreement” designed to force healthcare workers into SEIU ranks without proper procedural protections.

In fact, the vast majority of Thousand Oaks Surgical Hospital nurses have signed petitions opposing the SEIU officials’ “representation.”

And, because California does not have a Right to Work law that makes union membership and dues payment strictly voluntary, the nurses are now forced to pay union dues or fees to the SEIU union hierarchy as a condition of their employment.

“HCA management and SEIU officials have colluded to shove SEIU union bosses’ ‘representation’ – and with it forced dues payments – down nurses’ and other hospital workers’ throats,” said Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Foundation. “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.”

Another Federal Appeals Court Strikes Down Obama Labor Board Recess Appointments

Purported recess appointments were invalid because Senate was not in recess

Washington, DC (May 16, 2013) – Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit struck down one of President Barack Obama’s purported “recess appointments,” dating back to March 27, 2010. Earlier this year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit struck down two other Obama so-called “recess appointments” to the Board.

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

“Today, another federal appeals court has invalidated one of President Barack Obama’s so-called ‘recess appointments’ to the National Labor Relations Board. As National Right to Work Foundation attorneys have argued in several courts, the Obama ‘recess appointments’ have clearly violated the U.S. Constitution.

“As a result, the Board has lacked a quorum since at least August 2011, and under a U.S. Supreme Court precedent established in New Process Steel, L. P. v. NLRB (2010), the Board’s biased and decidedly pro-Big Labor rulings since then are therefore invalidated. Over 1,500 NLRB decisions may be invalid as a result. This underscores the constitutional chaos this President has created by gaming the system for union bosses.

Click here to read the full release.

Washington, DC (May 16, 2013) – Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit struck down one of President Barack Obama’s purported “recess appointments,” dating back to March 27, 2010. Earlier this year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit struck down two other Obama so-called “recess appointments” to the Board.

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

“Today, another federal appeals court has invalidated one of President Barack Obama’s so-called ‘recess appointments’ to the National Labor Relations Board. As National Right to Work Foundation attorneys have argued in several courts, the Obama ‘recess appointments’ have clearly violated the U.S. Constitution.

“As a result, the Board has lacked a quorum since at least August 2011, and under a U.S. Supreme Court precedent established in New Process Steel, L. P. v. NLRB (2010), the Board’s biased and decidedly pro-Big Labor rulings since then are therefore invalidated. Over 1,500 NLRB decisions may be invalid as a result. This underscores the constitutional chaos this President has created by gaming the system for union bosses.

“Today’s decision is a victory for independent-minded workers who have received unjust treatment at the hands of the pro-forced unionism NLRB over the last few years.”

The NLRB “recess appointment” that has been invalidated by today’s ruling is Craig Becker’s (2010-2012). The “recess appointments” of Richard Griffin (2012-present) and Sharon Block (2012-present) were earlier held invalid by the D.C. Circuit.

For a breakdown of the number of cases that could be invalidated by the courts’ rulings, click here.

Teamster Union Faces Charges for Papering Over Indy Domtar Workers’ Rights

Union and company officials ignore Indiana’s Right to Work law

Indianapolis, IN (May 15, 2013) – Six Indianapolis-area Domtar Paper Company (NYSE: UFS) workers have filed federal charges against a local Teamster union and the company for violating their right to refrain from dues-paying union membership.

With free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, Broatus Lambert, Lawrence Langworth, Christopher McKay, Kenneth Rosenfeld, Kevin Schrader, and William Schwier filed the unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

The six workers all exercised their right under Indiana’s recently-enacted Right to Work law to refrain from membership and dues payments in the Teamster union-affiliated Graphic Communications International (GCI) Union, Local 17M. Under Indiana’s Right to Work law, no worker can be required to pay union dues as a condition of employment.

Click here to read the full release.

Indianapolis, IN (May 15, 2013) – Six Indianapolis-area Domtar Paper Company (NYSE: UFS) workers have filed federal charges against a local Teamster union and the company for violating their right to refrain from dues-paying union membership.

With free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, Broatus Lambert, Lawrence Langworth, Christopher McKay, Kenneth Rosenfeld, Kevin Schrader, and William Schwier filed the unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

The six workers all exercised their right under Indiana’s recently-enacted Right to Work law to refrain from membership and dues payments in the Teamster union-affiliated Graphic Communications International (GCI) Union, Local 17M. Under Indiana’s Right to Work law, no worker can be required to pay union dues as a condition of employment.

As such, GCI Local 17M union officials no longer have the power to compel nonmember Domtar Paper workers to pay union dues.

Despite the workers’ union membership resignations, Domtar Paper continues to confiscate and GCI Local 17M union officials continue to accept full union dues from their paychecks.

“Teamster union officials are extracting full union dues from workers who want to exercise their rights under Indiana’s popular new Right to Work law,” said Patrick Semmens, Vice President of the National Right to Work Foundation. “This illegal action must stop.”

Nurse Union Faces Federal Suit for Selling out Workers

Union organizers’ intimidation sways outcome of unionization election

Massillon, OH (May 14, 2013) – Four local nurses have filed a federal lawsuit against the National Nurses Organizing Committee (NNOC) union for violating its duty of fair representation by striking a backroom deal with company management in exchange for its assistance with unionizing its nurses.

With free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, Affinity Medical Center nurses Cinda Keener, Susan Kelley, Ryan Chizmadia, and Katherine Manfull filed the lawsuit with the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Ohio Eastern Division in Akron.

NNOC union organizers and Community Health Systems (CHS) management entered into a “neutrality agreement” designed to help the union organizers impose monopoly bargaining on all the nurses at Affinity and at least two other CHS hospitals. In the agreement, union organizers were given preferential access to the facility and conducted a “quicksnap” unionization election.

Click here to read the full release.