Chicago, IL (June 6, 2013) – A Chicago-area South Water Market, Inc. worker has filed a federal charge against a Chicago Teamster union local alleging that union militants threatened him, his family and his property, and that his personal property was damaged shortly after he received those threats.

The worker filed the charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) regional office in Chicago with free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys.

The Teamsters Local 703 union has been on strike at South Water Market. However, some of the workers are not union members and refuse to abandon their jobs. Under federal law, workers who are not union members cannot be disciplined for continuing to work during a strike.

According to the charge, union agents harassed and threatened nonmember workers who continue working to support their families. In the charge, the worker alleges that his personal property was damaged soon after the threats.

Two Chicago Police Department “Victim of Information Notices” reflect reports of property damage, one incident “by fire.”

A video posted on Youtube.com purports to show security camera footage of a South Water Market work truck on fire while someone on the sidewalk watches. The video also shows a fire truck responding to the scene and the purported damage to the truck after the fire was extinguished. Moreover, the video shows striking Teamster union militants asking each other “are we gonna kill ’em or what?” and stating that they are going to “test the guys out today” while posing like boxers.

“Teamster union toughs are apparently trying to intimidate workers who had the courage not to toe the union line and instead provide for their families,” said Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Foundation. “Workers should never be subjected to violence or threats of violence under any circumstance.”

The worker filed the charge against the Teamster Local 703 union, seeking compensatory damages. He filed the charge for himself and other similarly-situated workers.

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.