27 Aug 2026

Washington Security Guard Files Federal Civil Rights Lawsuit Against SPFPA Union for Illegal Religious Discrimination

Posted in News Releases

Complaint: Union officials repeatedly threatened worker with termination if he did not authorize union dues deductions in violation of his religious beliefs

Seattle, WA & Roseville, MI (August 27, 2026) – John Johnson, a security guard in Washington State, has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the International Union, Security, Police and Fire Professionals of America (SPFPA). Johnson’s lawsuit was filed in a federal court in Michigan, with free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys.

The federal lawsuit details how SPFPA officials are violating Johnson’s rights under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by refusing to accommodate his sincere religious objection to funding SPFPA or its local affiliate and engaging in quid pro quo harassment by threatening his employment unless he abandons his sincerely held religious beliefs.

Under Title VII, unions and employers must provide a religious accommodation to employees who hold a sincere religious objection to joining or financially supporting a union—except where doing so would impose an undue hardship. The lawsuit notes that rather than granting Johnson his legally required accommodation, SPFPA bosses told him that he would have to abandon his religious objection and pay the union or risk losing his job under the union contract’s forced-dues clause.

According to the lawsuit, Johnson became a target of SPFPA union bosses after he refused to sign a union “interest card,” which he was falsely informed meant that there was “no obligation to join or be a part of” the union. However, a close reading of the card showed that in reality, it would authorize the union to become his monopoly bargaining representative with his employer.

After enough of his colleagues signed these deceptive “interest cards,” SPFPA union bosses were installed at Johnson’s workplace, and SPFPA officials implemented a union contract that requires all employees, including Johnson, to pay dues or fees to the union or be fired. This forced-dues requirement violates Johnson’s religious beliefs.

As his lawsuit explains, SPFPA’s demands that Johnson subsidize union activities violate his faith, which is why he requires a religious accommodation under Title VII. Specifically, Johnson’s faith prohibits him from funding or supporting any organization unless it is done voluntarily, and it forbids him from funding organizations he believes “engage in dishonesty, deception, or misrepresentation.”

In late February, Johnson requested religious accommodation in a letter to SPFPA, offering to pay the equivalent of dues to a charity, a common accommodation for employees with religious objections to funding unions. After several communications with SPFPA officials, Johnson’s religious accommodation request was denied by those officials on April 1, 2026.

Following charges filed against SPFPA with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for illegal religious discrimination under Title VII, the EEOC granted Johnson the right to sue SPFPA in federal court to vindicate his rights under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. That allowed Foundation staff attorneys to assist Johnson in filing his federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, the district where SPFPA is headquartered.

“No employee in America should have to choose between compromising their religious convictions and giving in to illegal ‘pay up or be fired’ threats by union bullies,” stated National Right to Work Foundation President Mark Mix. “Though SPFPA bosses’ actions here represent a clear violation of protections for employees of faith under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, this situation could have been avoided entirely if Johnson enjoyed Right to Work protections to ensure any union payments are strictly voluntary.

“Ultimately, no worker in America should be forced to fund a union they oppose, no matter whether their particular objection to the union is religious or not,” added Mix.

24 Aug 2026

IAFF Local 3631 Settles Case for Denying Retirement Benefits to Nonmember Firefighter

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Union bosses attempted to withhold benefits from employee who exercised First Amendment rights under Janus Supreme Court precedent

Irvine, CA (August 24, 2026) – Peter Crary, a Fire Apparatus Engineer who has served his community for over 20 years with the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), has prevailed in his dispute with International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 3631 union bosses, and OCFA officials. IAFF Local 3631 bosses moved to settle after the California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) issued a complaint against the union for violating Crary’s rights. Crary’s settlement was secured with free legal aid from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys.

Crary filed charges with the PERB against IAFF Local 3631 in late 2025 after union bosses threatened him, stating that as a nonmember, he would be denied access to his retiree healthcare (an IAFF Local 3631 medical benefit trust fund which he contributed to through his wages) unless he rejoined the union and paid back dues for the entire period during which he was a nonmember. The charges detail that forcing union membership and dues payment as a condition for healthcare access is arbitrary and discriminatory, interferes with protected rights, and constitutes a breach of the union’s duty of fair representation.

Charges were also filed against OCFA, noting that while OCFA does not administer IAFF Local 3631’s medical benefit trust fund, as a public agency, its compliance with IAFF Local 3631’s eligibility restrictions based on union membership is a violation of employees’ protected right to refrain from union membership.

Having examined the facts of the case, the PERB issued complaints against IAFF Local 3631 union bosses and OCFA officials, finding that Crary provided sufficient evidence to allege a violation of his rights under the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act and move forward with a hearing to establish the violation. To avoid further litigation, IAFF Local 3631 and OCFA have now settled the case with Crary.

Under the settlement, IAFF Local 3631 union bosses are withdrawing and rescinding the union’s policy denying retirement benefits to nonmembers unless they rejoin and pay dues to the union. Additionally, OCFA officials are required to issue a public notice to all OCFA workers informing them that the policy targeting nonmembers has been withdrawn and rescinded.

“I am glad that my complaint and the Foundation’s assistance with reaching a settlement agreement rescinded a policy that I believe coerced firefighters into paying thousands of dollars to rejoin the union in order to avoid losing health insurance in retirement,” stated Crary.

Thanks to the 2018 Foundation-won U.S. Supreme Court Janus v. AFSCME case, Crary and all public employees in California can no longer be required to join or pay dues or fees to a union. Despite the Supreme Court’s decision, as this case shows, California government union bosses have sought to undermine employees’ rights, including by discriminating against those who choose to exercise their First Amendment rights under Janus.

“We are pleased to have been able to assist Mr. Crary in defending his Janus rights against union bosses who just cannot accept that union affiliation and financial support must be voluntary for all public employees,” said National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation President Mark Mix. “Rather than simply attempt to attract the voluntary support of current and retired employees, government union bosses continue to attempt to bully and discriminate against those who choose to exercise their First Amendment rights.

“The Foundation is proud to have secured the Janus victory at the Supreme Court and will continue to assist individuals like Mr. Crary to enforce their rights under Janus,” added Mix.

21 Aug 2026

San Antonio Airport Fuel Workers Opposed to Forced Dues Win Freedom from Unwanted Machinists Union Bosses

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Faced with overwhelming, majority-backed petition to remove the union, IAM union officials left rather than face election defeat

San Antonio, TX (August 21, 2026) – Fueling employees with Allied Aviation Fueling Company of San Antonio have regained their workplace freedom from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), District 142. The workers, who operate and maintain the fueling facilities of San Antonio International Airport (SAT), filed a petition for a “decertification” election earlier in August. Employee Matthew Garwood, the lead petitioner, received assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys.

The petition was filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the federal agency responsible for enforcing federal labor law, a task that includes administering elections to install (or “certify”) and remove (or “decertify”) unions. The petition was signed by the majority of fuel workers, easily surpassing the threshold of signatures needed for the NLRB to schedule a decertification vote.

However, before the vote could be scheduled, IAM District 142 union bosses, likely fearing a defeat in a secret-ballot election, formally “disclaimed interest” in the bargaining unit, meaning that they withdrew their claim of monopoly bargaining powers over the workers. As a result, the approximately 38 airline fueling workers are now free to negotiate directly with their employer.

“The IAM was not negotiating in our best interests,” said Garwood. “We are grateful to have regained control over our workplace after being confronted with a poorly-written contract that negatively impacted employees in multiple ways and threatened us with forced dues just to stay employed.”

Union Bosses Tried to Circumvent State and Federal Law

Texas is one of 26 states with a Right to Work law, which safeguards workers by making union membership and dues payment strictly voluntary. However, the IAM was attempting to claim the employees were subject to the Railway Labor Act, which overrides worker protections against forced dues provided by state Right to Work laws.

Ultimately though, despite pushing for mandatory dues in the union contract, IAM union officials were apparently unwilling to defend the claim that these workers were covered by the Railway Labor Act before the NLRB.

“Union bosses have no shortage of tricks to use when trying to maintain their stranglehold on hardworking Americans’ paychecks, but in this case, the workers of Allied Aviation made their will abundantly clear,” commented National Right to Work Foundation President Mark Mix. “We are grateful to have assisted these workers as they exercised their rights, and especially pleased that they were able to regain their workplace so quickly.

“Cases like these demonstrate why all hardworking Americans need Right to Work protections to ensure union affiliation and financial support is strictly voluntary, including those who might fall under the jurisdiction of the Railway Labor Act because they work in the railroad or airline industry,” added Mix.

20 Aug 2026

Seattle TV On-Air Talent Officially Wins Freedom from Unwanted SAG-AFTRA Union Bosses After Successful Decertification Vote

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Labor Board certifies vote to remove SAG-AFTRA union officials who were reportedly unresponsive and ineffective

Seattle, WA (August 20, 2026) – The on-air staff at Seattle’s KOMO-TV have successfully won their independence from the union officials at the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The effort was led by Emmy-award winning reporter Jeremy Harris, who filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) seeking “decertification” to end SAG-AFTRA’s monopoly bargaining power over all on-air talent. Harris’s petition was filed with free legal aid from the National Right to Work Foundation.

The NLRB is the federal agency responsible for enforcing federal labor law, which includes administering elections to install (or “certify”) and remove (or “decertify”) unions. Decertification petitions require the support of at least 30 percent of workers in a unit to trigger an election to remove a union from a workplace. Over 60 percent of KOMO’s on-air talent signed the decertification petition. The election was held on August 12, and a majority voted to remove the union.

The NLRB certified the results of the election on August 20. This officially ended SAG-AFTRA union officials’ monopoly-bargaining and forced-dues powers over KOMO-TV talent. These powers are government-granted powers over every worker in the unit, regardless of whether they support the union.

While employees have many reasons for wanting to free themselves from union ranks, it has been reported that though union dues were mandatory to keep a job, SAG-AFTRA was largely ineffective, especially since on-air talent typically negotiate their own contracts above and beyond the union minimums. Another longtime Seattle journalist put it more bluntly: “My sources confirm that the union is AWOL and does nothing except collect dues.”

Washington is one of 24 states without a Right to Work law, which would safeguard workers by making union affiliation and dues payment strictly voluntary. Harris and his colleagues were forced to pay union dues and fees to union bosses under the threat of termination, due to Washington’s non-Right to Work status. Now that the decertification has been certified, Harris and his colleagues are free to negotiate their contracts individually without union interference and without mandatory union dues or fees.

Though forced dues are frequently the catalyst for decertification efforts, even many workers in Right to Work states, where union dues payments are voluntary, frequently seek to free themselves of unwanted union monopoly “representation.” For example, just weeks ago, Texas Public Radio (TPR) news employees in Right to Work Texas also voted to remove SAG-AFTRA union officials from their workplace.

“No employee in America should be trapped under so-called union ‘representation’ they oppose, and it adds insult to injury to force employees to pay unwanted union officials just to keep their jobs,” commented National Right to Work Foundation President Mark Mix. “We are proud to have assisted the on-air talent at KOMO-TV as they fought for their independence from union bosses who seemed to only be around when it came time to collect forced dues.”

10 Aug 2026

New NLRB Majority Asked to End ‘Successor Bar’ Policy Used to Block Employees Seeking Votes to Oust Unwanted Unions

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Majority of Senior Living center employees want to remove union, but non-statutory ‘successor bar’ traps them under the SEIU

Washington, DC (August 10, 2026) – Edvard Guay, an employee at Sona Senior Living in Deerfield, Illinois, filed an appeal asking the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to overturn the so-called “successor bar,” which is being used to block him and his colleagues from holding a “decertification” election to remove Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73 union bosses from their workplace. The employees’ Request for Review was filed with free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys.

The NLRB’s non-statutory successor bar forces a new owner of a business to recognize and bargain with incumbent union officials for up to a year, regardless of whether that union actually has the support of a majority of rank-and-file workers. This legal tactic prevents employees from exercising their statutory rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to hold elections to remove unwanted unions.

Guay’s request for the NLRB to scrap the successor bar follows the decision of the NLRB Region 13 Director to apply the bar to the Sona Senior Living workers’ case, dismissing their decertification petition to remove SEIU Local 73. A majority of Sona Senior Living employees signed the petition opposing the SEIU’s presence at their workplace.

The Request for Review states that the NLRB should overturn the successor bar because it conflicts with Sections 7 and 9 of the NLRA. Section 7 of the NLRA enshrines workers’ right to refrain from joining a union, and Section 9(c) directs that, when a “question of representation” exists, the Board “shall” conduct an election.

Foundation staff attorneys filed a formal rulemaking petition with the NLRB in June, asking the agency’s Board to overturn its non-statutory “bars,” as the NLRB’s pro-Big Labor policies have no grounds in federal labor law and are designed to disenfranchise workers. Notably, the Board will now have a new Trump-appointed Member, after the Senate confirmed the nomination of James Macy last week.

Last month, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals held—echoing the Foundation’s petition—that the NLRB does not possess the authority under the NLRA to stymie a decertification by invoking the successor bar, with the Court further suggesting that the NLRB’s other non-statutory bars are in violation of the NLRA. The Circuit’s decision was informed by the 2024 U.S. Supreme Court Loper Bright decision, which ended judicial deference to agencies’ interpretations of their statutory authority.

“We look to the new Trump NLRB members to finally bring the agency in line with the text of the law Congress charged them with enforcing, starting by ending the Obama-era ‘successor bar’ ruling that was recently rejected by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals,” said National Right to Work Foundation President Mark Mix. “This case gives the new Board majority a way to quickly demonstrate that it will prioritize defending workers’ statutory rights, not limiting those rights to protect the power of unwanted union officials.”

6 Aug 2026

Texas Public Radio Reporters Officially Free from Unwanted SAG-AFTRA Union Bosses after Successful Decertification Vote

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Labor Board certifies vote to remove union officials who TPR employees say were unresponsive and ineffective

San Antonio, TX (August 6, 2026) – Employees of Texas Public Radio (TPR) have successfully regained their independence from Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) union bosses. The effort was led by Brian Kirkpatrick, who, with assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for a “decertification” election.

The NLRB is the federal agency responsible for enforcing federal labor law, a task that includes administering elections to install (or “certify”) and remove (or “decertify”) unions. Decertification petitions require the support of at least 30% of workers in the unit, and Kirkpatrick’s petition was signed by a majority of his colleagues. The election was held July 17, 2026, and a majority of workers voted to remove the union.

“The petitioners here at Texas Public Radio are very pleased with the outcome of the union decertification vote,” commented Kirkpatrick. “We also want to thank our attorney from the National Right to Work Foundation for the invaluable counsel throughout the decertification process. We encourage others in need of legal guidance on workplace matters such as this to do the same. Moving ahead, each of us looks forward to working with the responsive leadership of Texas Public Radio on issues of salary and benefits based on individual job performance and merit.”

Union Bosses Unresponsive to Workers

The NLRB certified the results of the election on July 31. This officially ended SAG-AFTRA union officials’ monopoly bargaining power over the TPR workers, which is the government-granted power to represent every worker in a unit, regardless of whether they support the union. Despite being installed over a year ago, union bosses had yet to negotiate a contract for the employees they claimed to “represent.”

Texas is one of 26 states with a Right to Work law, which safeguards workers by making union membership and dues payment strictly voluntary. However, even in Right to Work states, federal law grants union officials the power to impose exclusive “representation” over every employee in a work unit—including those who never voted for, joined, or supported the union—dictating their terms and conditions of employment. Now that the decertification election has been certified, Kirkpatrick and his coworkers are free from the union’s dictates.

“We are proud to have assisted the workers at Texas Public Radio as they fought for their freedom from union bosses they don’t support,” commented National Right to Work Foundation President Mark Mix. “Around the country, workers are questioning union bosses’ priorities, as those officials demonstrate that they are out of step with the needs of the workers they supposedly ‘represent.’”

5 Aug 2026

Florida Imperial Dade Drivers Oust Teamsters Despite Attempt by Union Bosses to Overturn Workers’ Election Result

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Labor Board dismissed union block, formally certifies vote to revoke Teamsters’ monopoly bargaining powers over Imperial Dade employees

Orlando, FL (August 5, 2026) – Drivers at Imperial Dade have freed themselves from the unwanted “representation” of Teamsters Local 385 union bosses. The workers’ effort was spearheaded by Lionel Powell, who filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), seeking a “decertification” election to end the Teamsters’ monopoly bargaining control over the workers. Powell’s petition was filed with free legal aid from the National Right to Work Foundation.

The NLRB is the federal agency responsible for enforcing federal labor law, a task that includes administering elections to install (or “certify”) and remove (or “decertify”) unions. Powell’s petition last year was signed by enough of his coworkers to trigger an NLRB-administrated secret-ballot election among all full-time and regular part-time drivers and shuttle drivers employed by Imperial Dade at its 4522 E. Wetherbee Road facility in Orlando.

The drivers’ election took place on August 7, 2025, in which a majority of the employees voted against the continued presence of Teamsters Local 385 at their workplace. However, before the workers’ election result could be certified, Teamsters union bosses filed baseless charges against the employer and objections to the election with the NLRB in an attempt to disenfranchise the drivers and overturn their vote.

Foundation Thwarts Teamsters Election Hijacking

The Teamsters’ tactics, seeking to cancel the drivers’ ballot count, kept Powell and his colleagues trapped for nearly an entire year under the union they opposed, until it became clear the union’s claims could not withstand scrutiny. Eventually, one of the Teamsters’ charges accusing Imperial Dade of misconduct was dismissed by the NLRB for lack of merit, while the second was withdrawn by the union officials earlier this month, likely in an effort to avoid the embarrassment of another NLRB dismissal.

With the Teamsters’ baseless charges no longer pending, the NLRB certified the workers’ 24-21 vote to remove Teamsters Local 385 on August 5.

“Teamsters officials could have just accepted our vote and let us be free, but instead they attempted to play legal games to overturn our election and trap us in a union we opposed for nearly a year,” stated Powell. “That disrespect of our choice shows exactly why we chose to remove the union in the first place, and why I’m confident we’ll be better off free of the Teamsters.”

Florida is one of 26 states with Right to Work protections, which safeguard workers by making union membership and dues payment strictly voluntary. However, even in Right to Work states, union bosses can impose exclusive bargaining control upon all workers in a workplace, meaning they can dictate working conditions even for employees who are not formal union members and who oppose the union.

“We congratulate Mr. Powell and his colleagues on successfully reclaiming their workplace from Teamsters bosses, who, considering their legal campaign to disenfranchise these employees, showed exactly why the workers have good reason to want the union out,” said National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation President Mark Mix. “Imperial Dade drivers join the growing number of American workers moving to terminate their affiliation with the Teamsters, and their fight serves as another example of how Teamsters officials continue to abuse their government-granted privileges in order to hold onto power, even when that power is opposed by rank-and-file employees.”

28 Jul 2026

Idaho Teamsters Face Federal Prosecution for Illegal Threats, Fines Targeting UPS Employee Post-Membership Resignation

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Teamsters Local 983 falsely told worker that informing coworkers how to resign was a “federal crime,” then fined him for exercising his federally protected rights

Pocatello, ID (July 28, 2026) – The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has just issued a complaint against a Teamsters Local union for illegally threatening a United Parcel Service (UPS) worker and fining him after he resigned his union membership and filed federal charges against the union.

The UPS employee, Andrew Davis, filed his charges against the Teamsters with free legal aid from the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation.

According to the July 22 complaint issued by NLRB Region 27, four Teamsters Local 983 officials told Davis in front of other workers that informing employees how to exercise their right to resign their union membership was “illegal” and a “federal crime.” This is blatantly false. Federal law protects the right of employees to resign formal union membership at any time and to inform coworkers of that right.

The complaint further states that after Davis submitted his membership resignation in writing, Local 983 officials violated his rights by refusing to promptly honor it. Davis then filed federal charges against the union for the threats.

In response, according to the complaint, Local 983 officials brought internal union “charges” against Davis for filing his NLRB charge, a violation of federal law. Additionally, this past April, the union issued a fine against Davis, even though he was no longer a union member and had the right, under federal law, to go to the NLRB.

The NLRB complaint states that Local 983 has maintained unlawful rules barring members from seeking recourse from any outside court or agency, including the NLRB, without first exhausting internal union appeals. Union officials invoked that rule to retaliate against Davis for exercising his rights under the National Labor Relations Act.

The Regional Director for NLRB Region 27 has determined the charges have merit and issued a formal complaint. A hearing before an NLRB Administrative Law Judge is scheduled for September 15, 2026, unless the Teamsters back down and settle beforehand.

“Union bosses lied to Mr. Davis and his coworkers about basic legal rights, then punished him for daring to go to federal authorities,” said National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation President Mark Mix. “Even after being caught red handed lying to workers and violating Mr. Davis’ rights, Teamsters union bosses continued to double down on their unlawful coercion by attempting to fine him for defending his rights at the NLRB.

“Once again Teamsters bosses show their true colors, prioritizing their own power, even when it means violating the rights of the very rank-and-file workers they claim to ‘represent,’” added Mix.

27 Jul 2026

Dissident Philly Port Worker Successfully Defeats ILA Union Attempt to Exclude Him from Federal Case Defending Win at NLRB

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Labor Board found Longshoremen Local 1694 illegally blacklisted worker for raising concerns to national union official over operation of the union and its hiring hall

Wilmington, DE and Philadelphia, PA (July 27, 2026) – The United States Third Circuit Court of Appeals has granted a motion to intervene by Stanford Fowler, a longshore worker at the Ports of Philadelphia and Wilmington, in a suit between the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) Local 1694. The successful motion, filed with assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, comes over the objection of union lawyers, who attempted to keep Fowler out of a federal case that arose from his legal victory against that union at the NLRB.

Fowler filed unfair labor practice charges with the NLRB against ILA Local 1694, located in Wilmington, DE, in August of 2021, arguing that he had been discriminated against for voicing dissent against the union, including going to the national ILA Secretary-Treasurer when local officials ignored his complaints regarding operation of the hiring hall. The NLRB is the federal agency responsible for enforcing the National Labor Relations Act, a task which includes adjudicating disputes between employers, unions, and individual employees.

An NLRB Administrative Law Judge found largely in Fowler’s favor. A unanimous decision from a bipartisan panel of NLRB Members affirmed and ordered the union to pay Fowler five years of back pay to remedy the loss of work due to its discrimination. ILA Local 1694 lawyers appealed the decision to the Court of Appeals. Fowler then moved to intervene in that appeal to preserve the legal and financial victory that he had won before the NLRB.

Union Bosses Deprived Longshoreman of Work and Seniority for Expressing Concerns

Fowler was the victim of a series of union moves that hindered his ability to get better benefits. He consistently accrued hours through the hiring hall, but also sent an inquiry to the Secretary-Treasurer of the ILA, complaining about issues with a recent union merger. When Local 1694 union bosses found out about the inquiry, they aggressively confronted him and refused to let him participate in their hiring hall. Union bosses continually interfered with Fowler’s ability to gain work, including by attempting to ban him from the Port of Wilmington without sufficiently explaining their actions, to the point that he had to begin seeking work at the Port of Philadelphia instead.

“We are proud to assist Mr. Fowler as he fights for his right to work, free of interference from the malicious actions of union bosses,” commented National Right to Work Foundation President Mark Mix. “Mr. Fowler raised common sense concerns regarding his treatment both before and after his original ILA Local was merged into another, yet rather than take his concerns seriously and treat him fairly, union bosses began a campaign of retaliation designed to prevent him from working to put food on the table.

“We are proud to help him defend his NLRB victory at the court of appeals, and have already overcome the union’s underhanded attempt to block him from participating in the continuation of his own legal case,” added Mix.

24 Jul 2026

Labor Board to Prosecute UFCW Union for Illegal Strike Fine Against Oregon Fred Meyer Grocery Worker Who Resigned

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On appeal, NLRB General Counsel finds UFCW union bosses violated the law by fining worker nearly $1,000 for supposedly working one hour during strike

Portland, OR (July 24, 2026) – Portland-area Fred Meyer grocery store employee Coyesca Vasquez has been vindicated in her nearly two-year dispute with United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 555 union bosses, as the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) General Counsel has just moved to prosecute the union for violating Vasquez’s rights.

Vasquez filed federal charges against UFCW Local 555 after union bosses targeted her with a strike fine for exercising her right to continue working during a union boss-ordered strike action in 2024. The charges were originally filed with NLRB Region 19, with free legal aid from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys. The NLRB is the federal agency responsible for enforcing the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), a task that includes adjudicating disputes between employers, unions, and individual employees.

Vasquez exercised her legal right to resign UFCW union membership, in order to continue working, on August 28, 2024. However, UFCW officials claimed the resignation letter was not received until after she had returned to work for one hour.

UFCW bosses then apparently attempted to use this supposed one-hour delay as a technicality to justify a fine for $992, announced in a December 2024 letter, after finding her “guilty” of violating internal UFCW rules. Longstanding law says union bosses cannot impose “union discipline” against workers who are not voluntary union members. Such discipline frequently takes the form of four- or five-figure monetary fines payable to union boss-controlled funds.

Vasquez’s charge was initially dismissed by the NLRB Regional Director on May 11, 2026, following an “investigation” that only took into account the union’s timeline of events. Foundation staff attorneys appealed the decision to the NLRB General Counsel on May 26, detailing how Vasquez had validly resigned her union membership before returning to work and had significant evidence of her efforts to deliver her resignation to the union.

After examining the facts of the case, the General Counsel sustained Vasquez’s appeal, finding that UFCW union officials violated the NLRA by refusing to recognize her resignation. The case has now been remanded to the Regional Director where UFCW union bosses will be prosecuted for violating Vasquez’s rights under the NLRA unless they agree to settle the case, which would include rescinding the fine attempt and notifying other Fred Meyer employees of their legal rights in such situations.

Earlier this year, and with assistance from Foundation staff attorneys, fellow Oregon Fred Meyer grocery store employee Robert Wendelschafer—who was subjected to the same UFCW Local 555 illegal fining after he exercised his right to work during the 2024 strike by resigning his union membership—had his fine rescinded by the union.

“We welcome the General Counsel’s decision to move forward in Ms. Vasquez’s case against UFCW union bosses for ignoring her resignation and then attempting to claim a one hour delay justified a nearly $1,000 fine,” stated National Right to Work Foundation President Mark Mix. “Union officials have a long history of attempting to obstruct workers’ union resignation requests, then using those obstruction tactics to attempt to justify punitive fines, and it is critical that the NLRB not look the other way when Big Labor deploys these anti-worker tactics.”