UAW Union Local Faces Charge for Harassing Thomas Built Buses Worker

High Point, NC (December 4, 2013) – A local Thomas Built Buses worker has filed a federal charge against a local union for subjecting her to a campaign of harassment and intimidation because she exercised her right to refrain from union membership and inform her coworkers of their right to refrain.With free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, Tracy McLaughlin filed the unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).United Auto Worker (UAW) Local 5287 union officials obtained monopoly bargaining powers over the workplace in 2006 after union and company officials cut a deal to force union "representation" on the workers without a secret-ballot election.

FirstEnergy Worker Wins Federal Settlement from Local Electrical Worker Union

Reading, PA (December 5, 2013) – A FirstEnergy Corp. worker has won a federal settlement from a local union after she filed a charge against the union with free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys.The settlement comes after Deborah Adie of Orwigsburg filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). In the charge, Adie stated that International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 777 union officials demanded she join the union or she would lose her job.

Former Rhode Island Nurse Files Brief in Obama NLRB “Recess Appointment” Supreme Court Case

Washington, D.C. (November 25, 2013) – A former Warwick, Rhode Island nurse has filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in the high-profile legal battle over President Barack Obama's recent purported recess appointments to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).Jeanette Geary filed the amicus brief today with free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys.Foundation staff attorneys argue in the brief that the recess appointments are unconstitutional because the U.S. Senate was still in session per the body's rules. Therefore the President could not make the appointments to the NLRB without Senate confirmation.

Wisconsin Supreme Court Ruling Allows Union Recertification Elections

Madison, WI (November 22, 2013) – Last night, the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued a ruling that allows teachers across the state to vote to determine whether union officials can continue to claim to represent those teachers in their respective workplaces.The ruling strikes down a Dane County Circuit Court judge's order that prohibited the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission (WERC) from conducting secret-ballot recertification elections that are guaranteed under Wisconsin Act 10.

Michigan Labor Board Files Complaint Against Teacher Union for Circumventing Right to Work Law

Pinckney, MI (November 20, 2013) – The Michigan Employment Relations Commission (MERC) in Detroit has issued a complaint against the Michigan Education Association (MEA) union for violating a local special needs classroom assistant's rights under Michigan's recently enacted public-sector Right to Work law.The complaint stems from a state charge that Linda Evon of Pinckney filed with the MERC last month with free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys.

U.S. Supreme Court Considers Union Organizing Deals Wednesday

Washington, DC (November 13, 2013) – Wednesday morning, National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys will argue a case before the United States Supreme Court that could determine what kind of organizing assistance union officials can receive from a targeted company during coercive card check unionization schemes.The case, Mulhall v. UNITE HERE, could determine whether union organizers can receive workers’ personal information and other valuable organizing tools in exchange for concessions at employees' expense. Jamie Raskin, professor at American University law school, was quoted in the Washington Examiner as stating "This is by far the most important labor case in a generation."

Five Wisconsin Teachers File Lawsuit Seeking Act 10 Enforcement

Waukesha, WI (October 30, 2013) – With the help of attorneys from the National Right to Work Foundation and the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, five Wisconsin public school teachers have filed a lawsuit in state court against the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission (WERC).In the lawsuit, the teachers seek the secret-ballot recertification elections, guaranteed under Wisconsin Act 10, which will allow teachers across the state to determine whether union officials can continue to claim to represent those teachers in their respective workplaces.All five teachers are employed in workplaces where they are subject to a union monopoly bargaining agreement, which means all five have been forced to accept the union's so-called "representation." The teachers work in school districts in Waukesha, Milwaukee, La Crosse, Racine, and Elmbrook.

Utility Employee Seeks to Shut Off Forced Dues Scheme

Newark, NJ (October 28, 2013) – A Public Service Electric and Gas company worker has filed federal charges against a local union and his employer for violating his rights.With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation, Gregory Lehman of Woodbridge, New Jersey, filed the unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).Lehman, who must accept Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 153 officials' representation as a condition of his employment, alleges that union officials and company management demanded he join the union and pay full union dues or be fired and "escorted off the property."Under federal law, no worker can be forced to formally join a union. However, because New Jersey is not a Right to Work state, workers can be forced to pay union dues or fees as a condition of employment.

Thomas Built Buses Worker Files Federal Charge Against Company for Turning Blind Eye to Union Harassment

High Point, NC (October 28, 2013) – A local Thomas Built Buses worker has filed a federal charge against the company for turning a blind eye to harassment she has received for exercising her right to refrain and inform her coworkers of their right to refrain from union membership.With free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, Tracy McLaughlin filed the unfair labor practice charge yesterday with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).United Auto Worker (UAW) Local 5287 union officials obtained monopoly bargaining powers over the workplace in 2006 after union and company officials cut a deal to force union "representation" on the workers.

Special Needs Teaching Assistant Files Charge against Union for Ignoring Her Rights Under Michigan’s Right to Work Law

Pinckney, MI (October 23, 2013) – A local special needs classroom assistant has filed a state charge against a local teacher union for violating her rights under Michigan's recently enacted public-sector Right to Work law.With free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, Linda Evon of Pinckney filed the state charge late last week with the Michigan Employment Relations Commission (MERC) in Detroit.Evon, who works as a special needs classroom assistant for Pinckney Community Schools, informed the Michigan Education Association (MEA) union on September 4, 2013, that she was exercising her right under Michigan's Right to Work law to refrain from union dues payments after the union's monopoly bargaining agreement with her employer expired on June 30, 2013. Under Michigan's Right to Work law, contracts entered into after the law went into effect must respect workers' right to refrain from the payment of any union dues.