Teachers at Children of Promise Preparatory Academy in legal battle with union filed an application for joinder to protect right to refrain from unionization

Inglewood, CA (October 2, 2015) – On September 23, 2015 Stephanie Moore, Chidozie Ollawa, and Colbey Waggoner, all teachers from Children of Promise Preparatory Academy, a charter school in Inglewood, California filed a motion to join a legal battle as respondents against the Inglewood Teachers’ Association labor union. The teachers are receiving free legal aid from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys.

The legal battle began after Moore filed a decertification petition to remove the union from the workplace with the California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) on January 29, 2015. On March 16, a PERB agent approved the decertification petition, and informed the appropriate parties that a decertification election would be scheduled.

However, less than two weeks later, the union filed an unfair practice charge against Children of Promise, which included a request to stop the election. The charge alleged that Children of Promise failed to provide the union with employee contact information and had refused to negotiate with the union in good faith.

On June 12, the PERB General Counsel issued a complaint against Children of Promise, and on June 29, PERB affirmed a May 12 decision granting the union’s request to stop the election.

The hearing for the case is set to begin on February 8, 2016 before a PERB administrative law judge. The teachers have filed the application for joinder so that as full parties to the case, they may fully protect their rights and interests in the ongoing litigation.

Currently, the application for joinder is still pending before PERB.

“It is absolutely absurd these teachers have to endure a lengthy legal battle just to remove an unwanted union. The ability to participate at this upcoming hearing is critical for these teachers to present their side of the case, and protect their workplace rights,” said Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Foundation.

The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization providing free legal aid to employees whose human or civil rights have been violated by compulsory unionism abuses. The Foundation, which can be contacted toll-free at 1-800-336-3600, assists thousands of employees in about 200 cases nationwide per year.