Officials of the United Auto Workers (UAW) have ordered all nurses and support staff at St. Vincent Hospital in Toledo, Ohio to abandon their patients and go on strike.
The situation raises serious concerns for nurses and support staff who believe there is much to lose from a strike ordered by union bosses who possess an automotive – but not a health care – agenda.
Employees have the right under federal labor law to rebuff union officials’ strike demands, but it is important for you to get informed before you do so.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO WORK DURING A STRIKE READ ALL OF THIS SPECIAL NOTICE BEFORE RETURNING TO WORK – IT MIGHT SAVE YOU THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS!
Union officials have a decades long history of disciplining and fining workers who do not kow-tow to their dictates. Article 31 of the UAW Constitution, called Trial of Members, specifically allows union bosses to fine and sue members for crossing picket lines.
This is why so many workers have turned to the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation for legal aid to successfully defend themselves against violations of their rights committed by UAW officials. The Foundation wants you to learn about your legal rights from independent sources. You should not rely on what self-interested union officials tell you. For over four decades, Foundation attorneys have worked in the courts to protect and expand the rights of individual employees in situations such as strikes. It is the nation’s premier organization exclusively dedicated to providing free legal assistance to employee victims of forced unionism abuse.
Some of the cases include:
Labor Board Judge Rules UAW Violated Ford Worker’s Rights by Seizing Union Dues
For all these reasons, St. Vincent nurses and support staff may want to contact the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation to learn how they can avoid fines and other vicious union discipline for continuing to report to work to support themselves and their families. Much of the important information about your rights can be found on our website.
St. Vincent’s nurses and support personnel should know they have the following rights:
1) You have the right to resign your membership in the union. If you don’t support this union, you can send the union a letter resigning your membership. A sample letter can be found HERE.
2) You have the right to go to work even if the union bosses order a strike. Union officials can (and often do) levy onerous monetary fines against union members who work during a strike. So, you should seriously consider resigning your union membership BEFORE you return to work during a strike, which is the only way to avoid these ruinous union fines and discipline. See Union Discipline and Employee Rights.
Your resignation letter must be postmarked THE DAY BEFORE you return to work, or hand delivered BEFORE you actually return to work. A sample letter is HERE.
3) You have the right to revoke your dues checkoff and stop paying dues during the period when there is no collective bargaining agreement in effect. You must send a letter to St. Vincents and the UAW to accomplish this. A sample letter is HERE.
4) You have the right to sign and circulate decertification petitions to change your bargaining representative. Information on this option can be found here.
5) If the UAW union officials ever sign a new contract with St. Vincent, you have the right to become a «Beck objector» and pay only reduced financial core fees instead of full membership dues. If you become a Beck objector, you will not be forced to pay for the UAW unions’ far left political and social agenda. Information about this option is found at: https://www.nrtw.org/object-nonbargaining-private
According to the latest disclosure, the UAW admits that approximately 25% of its dues are spent on left wing politics that you cannot be forced to pay.
NOTE: While not legally required, it is a better practice to send your letters to the union by certified mail, return receipt requested, and save a copy of your letter and the return receipt to prove delivery. If you hand deliver a letter, make sure that you have a reliable witness to the delivery. In our experience, angry and dishonest union officials often pretend they did not actually receive resignations and initiate discipline against non-striking workers anyway.
