Union official threatened Public Defenders who refused to authorize union to automatically deduct dues from their paychecks
Philadelphia, PA (April 24, 2023) – Philadelphia Public Defender Brunilda Vargas has filed a federal unfair labor practice charge against the United Autoworkers (UAW) Local 5502 union. The charge states that a union official threatened to reduce her wages and those of her coworkers if they refused to grant the union the power to deduct union dues directly from their paychecks. Vargas is receiving free legal aid from National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation staff attorneys.
On April 18, 2023, Vargas filed the charge with the National Labor Relations Board Region 4 (NLRB) for the threats made against her and her colleagues at the Defender Association of Philadelphia. These threats came from a UAW union official against public defenders who chose not to sign automatic dues deduction authorization forms.
Because private sector workers in Pennsylvania lack the protection of a state Right to Work law, some union fees can be required as a condition of employment. However, employees can never be required to authorize automatic dues deductions from their paychecks under long-established federal law.
Had Vargas lived in a Right to Work state, not only would she have the right to refrain from automatic dues deductions from her paycheck, but also, she could refrain from financially supporting the union altogether. In Right to Work states, workers are fully-protected from mandatory union membership and financial support, both of which must be completely voluntary.
“It is appalling that a UAW Local 5502 union official would threaten public defenders’ wages for refusing to authorize deductions straight from their paychecks,” stated Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation. “If anything, UAW officials’ blatant disregard for longstanding federal law demonstrates why these public defenders are right to not want union officials pulling union dues directly out of their paychecks.”
“This case shows why Pennsylvania workers need the protection of a Right to Work law, so every worker can decide for themselves whether or not the union that supposedly represents them deserves their financial support,” added Mix.
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.
