Recent media reports suggest that American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) District Council 33 union officials may order 10,000 Philadelphia public workers to abandon their jobs and go on strike.

The situation raises serious concerns for workers who believe there is much to lose from engaging in a union-ordered strike.

Public employees have the right under state and federal law to rebuff union officials’ strike demands, but it is important that you be informed before you do so.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE WORKING OR RETURN TO WORK DURING A STRIKE, READ ALL OF THIS SPECIAL NOTICE – IT MIGHT SAVE YOU THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS!

If you want to work during a strike and avoid union discipline, then you must be certain that you are not a union member.

Philadelphia union officials have a decades long history of disciplining, fining and abusing workers who do not kowtow to their dictates. And the National Right to Work Foundation has assisted workers just like you who have suffered from union boss retaliation for exercising their rights.

For this reason, you may want to contact the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation to learn how you can avoid fines and other vicious union discipline for continuing to report or returning to work to support yourself and your family. Much of the important information about your rights can be found on our website here. If you would like to request advice or help from Foundation attorneys, fill out this form or call 800-336-3600 toll free.

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.

Workers should know they have the following rights:

1) You have the right to resign your membership in the union at any time. If you don’t support this union or this strike, you can send the union a letter resigning your membership.

2) You have the right to go to work even if the union bosses order a strike. However, 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 go to work during a strike. Resignation 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 go to work during a strike, or be hand delivered to the union BEFORE you actually go to work.

3) You have the right to object to paying full union dues. If you refrain from union membership, you cannot be forced to pay for the union’s political activities and members-only events.

Here is a sample letter for employees who wish to resign their union membership and continue to work during a union boss-ordered strike.

NOTE: Although not legally required, the better practice is to send your letter 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.

4) Depending on the timing, workers also have the right to vote the union out of their workplace, via a decertification or withdrawal of recognition process. Information on that process can be found here.