Mount Clemons, MI (January 26, 2005) – The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in Detroit has issued a formal complaint and will prosecute a local union for unlawfully threatening to fine a group of nonunion hospital employees up to $4,000 each for refusing to strike.

National Right to Work Foundation attorneys helped the four Mt. Clemen’s General Hospital employees involved in the dispute file unfair labor practice charges with the NLRB last November after the employees continued to do their jobs during a recent strike.

In August of 2004, Deborah Mounger, Cherie Jones, Kimberly Grifka, and Jennifer Pacyga all individually chose to send letters to the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) formally revoking their union memberships. By resigning from formal union membership, employees are not subject to union rules and internal union discipline.

After having officially resigned from membership in OPEIU, the four local women continued going to work during a union strike. On October 28th, each woman received a letter stating that OPEIU union officials were filing internal charges against them, and that they faced fines of $500 per charge, for totals of up to $4,000 a person simply for reporting to work during the strike.

“OPEIU officials tried to make examples of these individuals just for going to work and doing their jobs,” said Stefan Gleason, Vice President of the National Right to Work Foundation. “Union officials simply do not have the right to fine workers who are not formal union members.”

The action of the union hierarchy clearly violates NLRB v. Textile Workers, a Supreme Court decision that it is an unfair labor practice for a union to fine employees who had been union members in good standing but who resigned during a lawful strike and thereafter returned to work during that strike.

“It’s an outrage that these vindictive union officials tried to send workers to the poorhouse simply because they chose to do their jobs,” said Gleason. “This union hierarchy’s disdain for workers’ freedom and economic security shows they do not have employees’ best interests at heart.”

The NLRB Region 7 Director has scheduled a March 7, 2005, hearing date to prosecute the OPEIU union for its unlawful practices.

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.