IBEW officials ignore worker’s attempts to cut off forced dues for politics
Dayton, Ohio (July 7, 2016) – With free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, a local worker has filed federal unfair labor practice charges against the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 82 union.
According to charges filed by Troy Bowling, union officials violated federal law by ignoring his attempt to resign from the union and pay less than full dues. Furthermore, union officials have also violated federal law by refusing to give Bowling, an employee of Cox Media Group of Ohio, the required independently-audited financial breakdown of all forced-dues union expenditures.
Under federal case law, private-sector workers have the unconditional right to refrain from formal union membership. However, because Ohio has yet to pass into law Right to Work protections for workers, nonmember workers can be forced to pay a portion of union dues as a condition of employment. Employees who refrain from membership do not have to pay the portion of union dues that goes towards union boss politics and lobbying.
Additionally, union officials must also provide workers with an independently-audited financial breakdown of all forced-dues union expenditures. This procedural safeguard helps inform workers of how their forced union dues are being spent.
“IBEW union bosses are so blinded by their hunger for more forced dues powers, they are violating the basic rights of the very workers they claim to represent,” said Mark Mix, president of the National Right to Work Foundation. “This case underscores why Ohio workers need Right to Work protections to make union affiliation and dues payments strictly voluntary.”
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.
