Healthcare providers have right to rebuff Union officials’ demands that workers abandon their patients amidst pandemic
California (November 2, 2020) – Staff attorneys at the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation have issued a special legal notice to the over 4,000 Tenet Healthcare employees across California who will be affected by a strike planned by officials of Service Employees’ International Union (SEIU)-United Healthcare Workers West.
The legal notice informs rank-and-file Tenet Healthcare workers of the rights SEIU bosses won’t tell them about, including that they have the right to refuse to abandon their patients and to keep working to support their families despite the union-ordered strike. The notice discusses why workers across the country frequently turn to the National Right to Work Foundation for free legal aid in such situations.
“This strike raises serious concerns for employees who believe there is much to lose from a union-ordered strike,” the notice reads. “Employees have the legal right to rebuff union officials’ strike demands, but it is important for them to be fully informed before they do so.”
The full notice is available at www.nrtw.org/tenet-notice.
The notice outlines the process that Tenet nurses and other employees should follow if they want to exercise their right to return to work during the strike and avoid punishment by union bosses, complete with sample union membership resignation letters.
Further, the notice reminds employees of their rights to cut off all union dues payments in the absence of a monopoly bargaining contract with the hospital. The notice encourages employees to seek free legal aid from the Foundation if they experience union resistance as they attempt to exercise any of these rights.
The Foundation has defended hospital workers in a number of recent cases. It provided free legal aid to Daniel Dalison, who filed charges against SEIU 1199NW for illegally deducting union dues from his paycheck even though he was not a union member. Foundation staff attorneys also assisted Michigan nurse Madrina Wells in her lawsuit against officials of Teamsters Local 332 for collecting dues from her despite repeated requests to stop, and despite Michigan’s Right to Work law.
“Tenet Healthcare employees who wish to continue serving their communities amidst this pandemic may question whether the upcoming union-ordered strike is really best for themselves, their families, and their patients,” commented National Right to Work Foundation President Mark Mix. “Tenet employees should know they unequivocally have the right to reject union strike orders and continue to care for those in need.”
“We encourage rank-and-file Tenet Healthcare workers to immediately contact the Foundation for free legal aid should SEIU bosses violate their legal rights,” added Mix.
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.
