Union Discriminates Against Local AT&T Worker for Exercising His Right to Work

Indianapolis, IN (February 12, 2013) – A local AT&T worker has filed a federal unfair labor practice charge against a local union for discriminating against him for exercising his rights under Indiana's new Right to Work law.With free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, Indianapolis AT&T worker James Dawson filed the charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) regional office in Indianapolis.In August 2012, Dawson resigned from membership in and exercised his right to refrain from paying dues to the Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 4900 union. Under Indiana's Right to Work law, which was enacted in early 2012, Dawson and other private sector workers have the right to refrain from union membership and dues payments. However, a worker who exercises their rights under the state's Right to Work law may still be forced to accept an unwanted union's representation.

Nurses Challenge Federal Agency’s Attempt to Install Illegitimate Union

Massillon, OH (February 12, 2013) – Two local nurses have filed a motion with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) seeking to intervene in a federal case in which the agency is attempting to force a union hierarchy's "representation" on the nurses in the wake of a tainted organizing election.With free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, Affinity Medical Center nurses Susan Kelley and Cinda Keener filed the motion last week.National Nurses Organizing Committee (NNOC) union organizers and Affinity management entered into a "neutrality agreement" that gave union organizers preferential access to the facility, helping them to impose monopoly bargaining on the nurses. Company and union officials refused to disclose the terms of the secret agreement despite repeated requests from the nurses.

Worker Advocate Seeks to Halt Obama Labor Board from Acting in Union Lobbying Case

Washington, DC (February 11, 2013) – Today, National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys filed a petition in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit asking the court to order the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to suspend further action in a case that expanded union bosses' powers to charge nonmember workers for union political lobbying.The petition was filed in the wake of the court's ruling last month invalidating President Barack Obama's controversial purported "recess appointments" to the Board. The court held President Obama could not constitutionality make those appointments without U.S. Senate confirmation because the Senate was not in recess. National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys filed an amicus curiae brief jointly with the Landmark Legal Foundation in the case.

Teachers File Brief Defending Gov. Walker’s ‘Act 10’ Reforms in Union’s State Appeals Court Lawsuit

Madison, WI (February 6, 2013) – Three Wisconsin public school teachers filed a brief in the Wisconsin Court of Appeals last week supporting Governor Walker's public sector union reform bill, known as "Act 10."Elmbrook School District educator Elijah Grajkowski, Kenosha teacher Kristi Lacroix, and Waukesha high school teacher Nathan Berish filed the amici curiae brief with free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation and the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty.The case is a legal challenge brought in Dane County Circuit Court by union officials from Public Employees Local 61 and Madison Teachers, Inc., a local affiliate of the National Education Association (NEA).

KTLA Sports Reporter Files Federal Charges Against Union for Attempting to Force Her to Join, Pay Full Dues

Los Angeles, CA (February 5, 2013) – With the help of National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, KTLA-TV sports reporter and weekend anchor Rebecca Hall has filed federal unfair labor practice charges against the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) union for attempting to force her to join the union and pay full dues. SAG-AFTRA is the monopoly bargaining agent for KTLA-TV, which means employees can be forced to pay union dues to get or keep a job with the station. Under federal law, however, employees cannot be compelled to join the union or pay union dues for things unrelated to workplace bargaining, such as members-only events and political activism.

Rhode Island School of Design Technician Wins Settlement from Local Teacher Union

Providence, RI (February 4, 2013) – With free legal assistance from National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation staff attorneys, a Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) technician has won an informal settlement from a local union for violating his rights.The settlement stems from a federal unfair labor practice charge Robert Vennerbeck of Providence filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) regional office in Boston against the RISD Technical Association union – an affiliate of the National Education Association (NEA) union.

SEIU Officials Face State Charge for Violating Home Care Provider’s Rights

San Francisco, CA (January 31, 2013) – With free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, a San Francisco in-home care provider has filed a state charge against a local union for illegally refusing to honor her right to refrain from full-dues-paying union membership.On Tuesday, Shiufan Lee filed the charge with the California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) against Service Employees International Union-Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW).Lee attempted to exercise her right to refrain from formal union membership via phone in early August 2012, and in a letter she sent on August 3. Lee received a call from a union official where she again asked to resign from membership and full dues payments. Each time she spoke with union officials, they refused to acknowledge her resignation.

Federal Appeals Court Strikes Down Obama Labor Board Recess Appointments

Federal Appeals Court Strikes Down Obama Labor Board Recess Appointments Right to Work Foundation attorneys argued purported recess appointments were invalid because Senate was not in recess Washington, DC (January 25, 2013) – Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit struck down President Barack Obama's controversial purported "recess appointments" to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

Worker Advocate Files Brief in Federal Dispute over Forced Unionization in Michigan Public Projects

Cincinnati, OH (January 24 2013) – Staff attorneys from the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation have filed a brief in support of a Michigan law prohibiting state and local government agencies from imposing so-called "project labor agreements" (PLAs) that require unionized workers for public projects.Foundation staff attorneys filed the amicus curiae ("friend of the court") brief yesterday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit located in Cincinnati.Michigan recently passed a law prohibiting government-mandated PLAs on public construction projects. Shortly thereafter, Michigan Building and Construction Trades Council and Genesse, Lapeer, Shiawassee Building and Construction Trades Council union bosses challenged the law in federal court, claiming federal labor law preempts the state's ability to opt out of mandating PLAs on state-funded public construction projects.

Federal Court Upholds Wisconsin Governor’s Public-Sector Unionism Reforms

Chicago, IL (January 18, 2013) – Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit upheld all of Governor Scott Walker’s public-sector unionism reform measures, also known as "Act 10." With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation and the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, three Wisconsin public employees moved to intervene in the lawsuit in favor of the law after lawyers from seven unions, led by the Wisconsin Education Association Council, challenged it in federal court. The three civil servants, Pleasant Prairie teacher Kristi Lacroix, Waukesha high school teacher Nathan Berish, and trust fund specialist at the Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds Ricardo Cruz, were permitted to file amicus briefs in the district court.