New Michigan Right to Work Laws Take Effect Today

National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation offers free legal aid to workers seeking to exercise their rights under Michigan’s Right to Work protections

Springfield, VA (March 28, 2013) – In response to Michigan’s Right to Work laws taking effect today, Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Foundation, issued the following statement:

"No worker should ever be forced to join or pay dues to a union as a condition of their employment. That is why Michigan’s new Right to Work laws are great advances for worker freedom. Today, workers in Michigan finally have Right to Work protections.

Click here to read the full release.

Springfield, VA (March 28, 2013) – In response to Michigan’s Right to Work laws taking effect today, Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Foundation, issued the following statement:

"No worker should ever be forced to join or pay dues to a union as a condition of their employment. That is why Michigan’s new Right to Work laws are great advances for worker freedom. Today, workers in Michigan finally have Right to Work protections.

"In response to recent media reports about union officials seeking to skirt Michigan’s new Right to Work laws, the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, a charitable organization that provides free legal assistance to employees nationwide, has created a special task force to defend workers seeking to exercise their Right to Work.

"Affected employees are encouraged to call the Foundation’s legal hotline at 1-800-336-3600 or contact the Foundation through its website at www.nrtw.org.

"Any worker who wants to learn more about their rights under Michigan’s Right to Work laws should also visit the Foundation’s award-winning website."

Twenty-four states have Right to Work protections for employees. Public polling shows that nearly 80 percent of Americans and union members support the Right to Work principle of voluntary unionism.

Kansas City Police Officers Seek to Handcuff Union’s Forced-Dues Scheme

Right to Work Foundation attorneys challenge union hierarchy for violating employees’ constitutional rights

Kansas City, MO (March 27, 2013) – Seventeen Missouri police officers have filed a federal class-action lawsuit against a local police union, the Board of Police Commissions of Kansas City, and the mayor of Kansas City for violating their rights.

The 17 officers filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri with free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys.

In October of 2012, Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge 99 union officials agreed to a settlement in a lawsuit between the union and the city in which union officials made concessions on police officers’ wages, benefits, and retirement age in exchange for the power to force nonmember police officers into paying forced union dues and fees as a condition of their employment.

Click here to read the full release.

Kansas City, MO (March 27, 2013) – Seventeen Missouri police officers have filed a federal class-action lawsuit against a local police union, the Board of Police Commissions of Kansas City, and the mayor of Kansas City for violating their rights.

The 17 officers filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri with free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys.

In October of 2012, Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge 99 union officials agreed to a settlement in a lawsuit between the union and the city in which union officials made concessions on police officers’ wages, benefits, and retirement age in exchange for the power to force nonmember police officers into paying forced union dues and fees as a condition of their employment.

The 17 officers, who all refrain from formal union membership in the FOP Lodge 99 union, allege that the union hierarchy violated its duty of fair representation and acted in bad faith by selling out Kansas City’s police officers in exchange for the forced dues powers.

Further, the 17 nonmember officers allege in their suit that the FOP Lodge 99 union hierarchy is violating their constitutional rights by demanding forced union dues and fees from them without following federal disclosure requirements.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the Foundation’s Chicago Teachers Union v. Hudson case that union officials must first provide nonmember public workers with an independently-audited breakdown of all forced-dues union expenditures and the opportunity to object and challenge the amount of forced union fees before an impartial decision maker. This minimal safeguard is designed to ensure that workers have an opportunity to refrain from paying for union political activities and member-only events.

In February, FOP Lodge 99 union officials began demanding forced union dues and fees from nonmember police officers while refusing to provide an audited breakdown of union expenditures or giving the officers an opportunity to challenge the forced union fees before an independent third party.

«Because Missouri does not have a Right to Work law, these Kansas City police officers can be compelled to pay union dues and fees to a union hierarchy that clearly does not have the officers’ best interests at heart,» said Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Foundation. «This case underscores why Missouri needs a Right to Work law making union affiliation and dues payments completely voluntary.»

Local School Bus Drivers Slam the Brakes on Union Boss Rights Violations

Union officials threatened bus drivers: Join the union or be fired

Gresham, OR (March 25, 2013) – A group of local school bus drivers have won a federal settlement including back pay from a local union hierarchy after union officials illegally demanded they join the union or be fired.

The settlement stems from a federal charge six of the drivers filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Regional Office in Seattle with free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys.

Oregon School Employees Association, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 6732 union officials demanded that all drivers join the union and pay full union dues or face discharge.

Click here to read the full release.

Gresham, OR (March 25, 2013) – A group of local school bus drivers have won a federal settlement including back pay from a local union hierarchy after union officials illegally demanded they join the union or be fired.

The settlement stems from a federal charge six of the drivers filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Regional Office in Seattle with free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys.

Oregon School Employees Association, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 6732 union officials demanded that all drivers join the union and pay full union dues or face discharge.

Because Oregon does not have Right to Work protections making union affiliation completely voluntary, the bus drivers can still be forced to pay part of forced union dues to keep their jobs. However, the U.S. Supreme Court has long held that workers have the right to refrain from full-dues-paying union membership, and nonmember workers cannot be required to pay union dues or fees spent for union political activities and member-only events.

AFT Local 6732 union officials confiscated full union dues from the drivers’ paychecks without informing the workers of their right to refrain from formal union membership. Union officials continued to confiscate full union dues from both drivers who refused to join the union and drivers who joined the union with objections because they thought they had no choice.

After the six drivers represented by Foundation attorneys filed the federal charge, union officials were forced to settle the case and also agreed to refund back pay to four other drivers.

«AFT Local 6732 union officials made a mockery of federal law in order to keep their forced dues gravy train going,» said Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Foundation. «This case underscores the need for Oregon to pass state Right to Work protections for its workers.»

Twenty-four states have Right to Work protections for employees. Public polling shows that nearly 80 percent of Americans and union members support the principle of voluntary unionism.

Worker Files Federal Charges against NBC Sports, CWA for Forcing Him to Join Union, Pay Full Dues

Case shows why West Virginia’s workers need Right to Work protections

New York, NY (March 11, 2013) – With the help of National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, an NBC Sports technician has filed federal charges against his employer and the NABET-CWA Local 11 union for forcing him to join the union and pay full dues.

Over the past six months, Steve Wahlenmayer has worked as a daily hire for NBC Sports, which is party to a bargaining agreement with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) union. Because New York lacks a Right to Work law, regular employees can be forced to pay union dues as a condition of employment after 30 consecutive days of employment. This means temporary or daily hires cannot be required to pay union dues if they don’t reach the 30-day threshold.

Despite the fact that Wahlenmayer has never worked for NBC for 30 consecutive days, CWA officials and NBC Sports demanded he join the union and sign a dues check-off card authorizing the CWA to deduct automatically dues from his paycheck and to pay a $9,000 initiation fee. Other temporary hires at NBC Sports have faced similar demands.

Click here to read the full release.

New York, NY (March 11, 2013) – With the help of National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, an NBC Sports technician has filed federal charges against his employer and the NABET-CWA Local 11 union for forcing him to join the union and pay full dues.

Over the past six months, Steve Wahlenmayer has worked as a daily hire for NBC Sports, which is party to a bargaining agreement with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) union. Because New York lacks a Right to Work law, regular employees can be forced to pay union dues as a condition of employment after 30 consecutive days of employment. This means temporary or daily hires cannot be required to pay union dues if they don’t reach the 30-day threshold.

Despite the fact that Wahlenmayer has never worked for NBC for 30 consecutive days, CWA officials and NBC Sports demanded he join the union and sign a dues check-off card authorizing the CWA to deduct automatically dues from his paycheck and to pay a $9,000 initiation fee. Other temporary hires at NBC Sports have faced similar demands.

Moreover, even if Wahlenmayer or his coworkers were employed by NBC for at least 30 consecutive days, federal law prohibits unions and employers from forcing workers to join a union as a condition of employment.

Under protest, Wahlenmayer signed a dues check-off card to protect his job. He is now filing charges to reclaim his confiscated dues with the National Labor Relations Board, a federal agency charged with administering private sector labor law.

«Desperate for more forced dues cash, CWA union bosses are trying to fleece temporary hires in flagrant violation of federal law,» said Patrick Semmens, Vice President of the National Right to Work Foundation. «Unfortunately, NBC Sports is complicit in the mistreatment of their own employees.»

«This illicit practice highlights the need for a New York Right to Work law, which would ensure that no worker can be forced to join or pay dues to a union just to get or keep a job,» continued Semmens.

WVUH Employee’s Persistence Finally Forces Union Bosses to Abide by Federal Settlement

Case shows why West Virginia’s workers need Right to Work protections

Morgantown, WV (February 28, 2013) – A West Virginia University Hospital employee has finally received justice under a federal settlement after union officials failed to abide by the settlement for months.

With aid from the National Right to Work Foundation, Kimberly Wright filed a series of federal charges against a local union for refusing to honor her resignation from formal union membership, forcing her to pay full union dues against her will, and failing to provide the legally-required disclosure of how her forced dues are being spent.

Click here to read the full release.

Morgantown, WV (February 28, 2013) – A West Virginia University Hospital employee has finally received justice under a federal settlement after union officials failed to abide by the settlement for months.

With aid from the National Right to Work Foundation, Kimberly Wright filed a series of federal charges against a local union for refusing to honor her resignation from formal union membership, forcing her to pay full union dues against her will, and failing to provide the legally-required disclosure of how her forced dues are being spent.

Wright initially resigned formal union membership from the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 814 in December 2010. Wright exercised her rights under the Foundation-won U.S. Supreme Court precedent in Communications Workers v. Beck, which allows workers to refrain from full dues paying union membership.

Because West Virginia does not have a Right to Work law on the books, workers can still be compelled to pay a part of union dues despite refraining from formal union membership. For months following her resignation, LIUNA Local 814 union bosses continued to collect full union dues from Wright’s paychecks and refused to provide her with a breakdown of how her forced dues are being spent.

After Wright filed a charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the Board reached a settlement with the union officials. However, LIUNA Local 814 union officials continued to collect full union dues from Wright’s paychecks despite the settlement, forcing her to file another charge with the NLRB. The second charge was settled in September 2012.

The union again failed to abide by the settlement for months and continued to collect full union dues. Finally, after Wright and her Foundation staff attorneys requested that the Board revoke the settlement and issue a complaint due to the union bosses’ non-compliance, union officials relented, refunding 26 months of overcharges to Wright and providing audits of the union’s books and records.

«Despite two federal settlements, LIUNA Local 814 union officials ignored Kimberly Wright’s rights for months on end, but they still have the power to compel her to pay union dues or fees as a condition of her employment,» said Mark Mix, President of National Right to Work. «This case shows that workers need Right to Work protections making union membership and dues payments completely voluntary.»

Twenty-four states have Right to Work protections for employees. Public polling shows that nearly 80 percent of Americans and union members support the Right to Work principle of voluntary unionism.