Workers Seek Documents Regarding Police Misconduct in Refusing to Protect Them from Union Vandalism
Dublin, Virginia (March 17, 2008) – Workers targeted by a campaign of union retaliation for continuing to do their jobs during the strike against Volvo Truck have obtained free legal aid from the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation and today filed a formal document request under Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act. The employees seek information about how the Pulaski Police Department handled complaints about police officers who refused to carry out their public duties as a result of apparent conflicts of interest.
One employee victim specifically objects to a false statement that Police Chief Gary W. Roche made to the Associated Press in which Roche "totally, completely, categorically" denied that officers had refused to file police reports because they had friends and family members participating in the United Auto Workers (UAW) union strike. To the contrary, chief Roche apparently knew of at least one such incident where it required a complaint by Drema Dominguez’s neighbor to the police department and to a local television station to cause Police Sergeant Anderson to “correct” Officer Quesenberry.
"Sadly, this situation has resulted in a law enforcement officer falsely attacking the honesty of a woman who tried to report a crime, instead of seeking out the criminals," wrote National Right to Work Foundation Staff Attorney Derek Poteet in his March 17 letter to Chief Roche.
Virginia State law makes it a crime to "attempt to interfere with another in the exercise of his Right to Work… or by the use of insulting or threatening language directed toward such person, to induce or attempt to induce him to quit his employment or refrain from seeking employment."
"Since the strike began, there have been numerous instances of nails being placed in the driveways of Volvo employees who continue to work. The union’s insulting and threatening language on the picket line was being constantly directed at Volvo workers, to attempt to induce them to quit, and it was obscene and explicit. Obscenity is not protected speech. The display of open coffins, labeled “scab,” is a blatant union endorsement of violence against these honest, hard-working citizens.
"Employees’ windshields have been smashed and tires slashed. Union militants have been stalking my clients and terrifying their children. Certain union militants are terrorizing law-abiding citizens and their families, and it is my understanding that even though some have been caught in the act, no one has been charged," continued Poteet.
Poteet demanded an apology from Chief Roche for essentially calling his client a liar in the press, or to let her know that he was misquoted. He further asked Roche to contact the Associated Press to disavow that statement. And finally, Poteet requested under the Freedom of Information Act copies of all records and communications regarding actions taken to discipline Officer Quesenberry or any other officers for misconduct, and "what steps you will be taking to ensure that the laws of Virginia are enforced by your department, including by officers who happen to have family members or friends who have participated in the strike."
"[Your] false public statement to the media, combined with the failure to enforce Virginia law, only emboldens union militants to engage in increasingly aggressive attacks against workers during and after this Volvo strike – and in the future," wrote Poteet.
Reported Reprisals Flooding In from Volvo Employees
In case you missed it yesterday, the National Right to Work Foundation is asking for an investigation into reports from employees that local police may have turned a blind eye to union harassment of non-striking workers at Volvo in Pulaski County, Virginia.
Meanwhile, employees continue to contact us with stories of what’s been going on during the strike. Some employees report that in addtion to what has already been reported, they believe that union operatives have stalked them, collected their license plate numbers, and slashed their tires.
Again, employees seeking free legal aid can contact the Foundation toll-free at (800) 336-3600.
Virginia’s Attorney General Asked to Investigate Apparent Refusal of Police to Investigate Union Harassment
Dublin, Virginia (March 13, 2008) – The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation today called on the Virginia Attorney General to investigate “ethical and professional breaches” by local police who actually chastised non-striking workers for exercising their constitutionally protected Right to Work rather than investigate the ongoing union harassment and property destruction they face.
A group of Pulaski County Volvo workers contacted the Foundation for help late last week after suffering a variety of retaliation tactics simply for showing up for work to support their families during a United Auto Workers (UAW) strike.
Employees have been targeted with smashed windows, derogatory signs, cut tires, nails in their driveways, sugar in their gas tanks, and more. Driving into work, as documented by local media reports, employees also had to pass a coffin labeled “all scabs welcome here,” as well as endure picketers spitting on their cars, making obscene and sexual gestures at them, and racist and sexist slurs.
Despite this, at least one employee claims that a police officer, who apparently had family or friends in the UAW union, refused to file a police report and instead publicly lectured her for “crossing the picket line” when she reported an alleged crime perpetrated by union operatives.
Foundation Staff Attorney Derek Poteet wrote to Attorney General Robert McDonnell: “…law enforcement officers have claimed to have no evidence that union members are involved. However, I have learned that law enforcement officers have, in some instances, actually caught the perpetrators only to release them with a warning, without further investigation or fingerprinting… [This is] a ‘catch and release’ attitude toward union violence.”
He continued: “If no action is taken, those who committed these crimes will have succeeded in making an example to thwart others from exercising their constitutionally protected Right to Work in the future, perceiving that the law will not protect them.”
The National Right to Work Foundation has come to the aid of many victims of union intimidation and violence, including victims of UAW harassment in Winchester, Virginia. The Foundation helped Vietnamese immigrant Schucheng Huang after union militants vandalized her car with paint, smashed her car windows, and placed a severed, bloody cow’s head on the hood of her car. Huang and other victims of union violence won an undisclosed monetary settlement in 2001.
More on Volvo Strike: Coffin at Union Hall Reads «All Scabs Welcome Here»
(Photo by Larry Middleton)
More reports of alleged union inimidation of employees during a strike at Volvo near Roanoke, Virginia, are pouring out today, including a news story by WDBJ-TV. The video report also shows a makeshift coffin put up outside the union hall with an arrow pointing into it and reading "All Scabs Welcome Here."
The report also quotes several employees:
"I expected them to call me a scab. I expected that," says Volvo worker Dreama Dominguez. "What I didn’t expect was some of the men that I sorta admired, thought they were descent people, to grope themselves as I drove by."
The employees go on to detail reports we cited yesterday about a broken car window, nails in their driveways, and sugar in a gas tank.
"It scared me but the more I thought about it, it made me angry and if I had to walk over those nails to get into work I would have done it," says Dominguez.
All these brave employees did was show up to work. Sadly, while this situation has gained some attention, the National Institute for Labor Relations Research says that the vast majority of instances of union violence (including both physical and property damage) go unprosecuted.
Non-Striking Volvo Employees Find Nails in Driveways, «Scab» Signs in Front Yards, Broken Car Window
Think that union intimidation is a thing of the past? You might think again.
WSLS-TV out of Roanoke, Virginia, shows in a video report that nonunion Volvo employees in the Roanoke, Virginia, area claim they’re being singled out for continuing to work during a United Auto Workers union-ordered strike.
Multiple reports of nails in employees’ driveways, sugar in the gas tank of a car, "scab live here" signs in their yards, and a broken window of one of a worker’s car have surfaced. One worker also reported being followed home after work.
While the local UAW union head says "I don’t know if it did happen or didn’t happen…" it’s a disgrace if employees are being singled out simply for going to work.
Any employee wanting to know their rights should immediately contact the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation toll-free at 1-800-336-3600 or email legal@nrtw.org.
«Card Check» Deception Targets College Students
Speaking of "card check," a Washington State University student is calling out the United Auto Workers union on its recent use of a deceptive "card check" drive to forcibly unionize academic student employees. The student writes:
Several students were led to believe they were signing to get
information or support exploring the efficacy of students unionizing.
With a sense of urgency and high pressure tactics, many students filled
out cards.
In addition to noting that students would be forced to pay dues if the UAW was installed, the student adds:
We find it insulting to our intelligence and levels of educational
achievement to mislead, misrepresent and misinform us to gain student
support.
As Karen Mayhew, a National Right to Work Foundation-aided employee from Portland, Oregon, told Congress last year:
…union abuses of a wide variety are the rule in ‘card check’ campaigns, not the exception.
All the more reason that employees should be aware of their rights during a "card check" drive.
New Video: Coercive «Card Check» Union Organizing Victims Speak Out
A group of Dana Corporation employees from Albion, Indiana, recently fought their way free of the unwanted United Auto Workers union capitalizing on a ruling won by the National Right to Work Foundation.
Judge Strikes Down Nationwide UAW Union Policy Forcing Employees to Object Annually to Political Expenditures
Hartford, CT (March 6, 2008) – A National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) administrative law judge has heeded a Colt Manufacturing employee’s request to strike down a nationwide union policy intended to stonewall employees from obtaining a reduction of their forced union dues.
With free legal aid from the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, George Gally, a nearly 50-year veteran Colt employee, originally filed unfair labor practice charges at the NLRB in March 2003. Gally challenged the United Auto Worker (UAW) union’s nationwide policy. The policy forced non-union members to object annually if they did not want to fund union political and other non-bargaining activities.
The ruling requires the UAW union to “cease and desist” from requiring employees to object annually, as well as notify all non-member employees across America that it will not subject them to this burdensome process. The UAW union must also post notices at certain union halls and publish a notice in a forthcoming “Solidarity” newsletter.
In the Foundation-won U.S. Supreme Court CWA v. Beck decision, the court affirmed that workers have the right to refrain from formal union membership but can still be forced to pay a reduced fee for union monopoly bargaining in their workplaces. But UAW officials have tried to hinder employees from getting their dues reduction by requiring them to renew their objections every year.
In issuing the ruling, Administrative Law Judge Joel Biblowitz noted that, “Further, the [union] Respondents do not require yearly renewals of union membership cards, dues authorization checkoff cards or notice of resignation from the union. Yearly renewals are only required of Beck objectors, and the Respondents have not satisfactorily explained this inconsistency.”
“UAW officials have fought tooth and nail to hamstring employees wishing to exercise their legal rights,” said Stefan Gleason, vice president of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation. “This outrageous situation underscores why the best solution to the misuse of compulsory union dues is a Right to Work law. Ending forced unionism would make union affiliation and dues payment strictly voluntary.”
George Gally has endured 17 years of illegal conduct by UAW officials. In December 2003, ALJ Biblowitz awarded Gally nearly $31,000 in compensation plus interest for pay lost after he was illegally fired for non-payment of forced dues at the order of UAW Local 376 union officials in 1991. Subsequent to his damage award, Gally filed this separate unfair labor practice charge challenging the UAW union officials’ annual objection scheme.
Union Officials Balk at Election to Get Employees’ Names and Home Addresses
Leaders of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe are up in arms because Security, Police, and Fire Professionals of America union officials filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board for a representation election of their casino security personnel only to pull the plug at the last minute.
Meanwhile, SPFPA officials told The Morning Sun that they never had any intention of going through with the election:
"…the union simply wanted to get the list of names and addresses of
the casino security and surveillance personnel the union hopes to
organize."
Tribe representatives called the move a "manipulation" of the system, point out that two previous organizing attempts have failed, and question the NLRB’s jurisdiction over their employees in the first place.
Most likely, collecting employees’ personal information is geared at pressuring them individually to support unionization through a potential "card check" drive. Sadly, this situation shows that many times, when employees reject unionization, it’s just the beginning.
Compulsory Unionism Keeps Eating Away at Rust Belt Jobs
Columnist Thomas Sowell points out in an op-ed today the harmful effects of bad economic policies on job creation in "rust belt" states:
In short, the rust belts have been killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.
He concludes:
Jobs are always disappearing. The big question is why they are
not being replaced by new jobs. Rust belt policies that drove out old
jobs also keep out new jobs.
Chief among these harmful policies is compulsory unionism. According to a National Institute for Labor Relations Research fact sheet, Right to Work states outperform forced unionism states, which include all of the rust belt, on a litany of economic growth indicators.
Most notably, with regard to job growth, non-farm private sector job growth in Right to Work states nearly doubled that of forced unionism states between 1996-2006. NILRR also notes that Real Personal Income growth also was nearly double in Right to Work states between 2001-2006.
Sounds like the golden goose has fled for greener pastures.
