Dallas, TX (June 27, 2013) – Six airline workers have filed a federal class-action lawsuit that seeks to expand workers’ right to refrain from paying union dues in light of last year’s U.S. Supreme Court decision in Knox v. SEIU Local 1000.

Five American Eagle Airlines baggage handlers from Texas and a Southwest Airlines flight attendant from Maryland filed the lawsuit with free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas in Dallas.

The workers all are not members of the Transport Workers Union of America (TWUA). However, the workers must still accept the TWUA hierarchy as their monopoly bargaining representative even though they are prohibited from voting on the union’s bargaining agreement or participating in union meetings. Additionally, federal labor law empowers union officials to extract union dues and fees from the workers as payment for their so-called «representation.» If the workers refused to pay union dues or fees, they would be terminated from their jobs.

Last year, the Supreme Court suggested in its Foundation-won Knox v. SEIU ruling that it was ready to reassess whether union bosses’ forced dues powers, which it called «something of an anomaly,» violate workers’ First Amendment rights. Responding to that suggestion, the workers’ lawsuit seeks to eliminate forced unionism in America.

Alternatively, the airline workers seek to expand to all union forced fees allocated to politics and other non-bargaining activities Knox‘s ruling that a union may not exact special assessments or mid-year dues increases from nonmembers without their affirmative consent. Currently, nonmembers must pay full union dues – including the portion used for union politicking – unless they affirmatively object.

The workers are also challenging the TWUA union bosses’ burdensome requirements that workers must annually opt out of paying full union dues. The suit also attacks the TWUA union’s rebate scheme, under which full dues are taken from the paychecks of nonmember workers who pay the forced union fees by payroll deduction, giving the union officials a forced loan for up to four months that can be used for political activities.

«Union bosses have abused their extraordinary government-granted power to automatically compel workers to fund their political activities unless workers object – a power granted to no other private organization in our country – for far too long,» said Mark Mix, president of National Right to Work. «The First Amendment right of workers who refrain from union membership to automatically refrain from paying union dues at all and especially for politics is long overdue.»

Joliet, IL (July 3, 2013) – The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has issued a complaint against a local Machinist union for violating the rights of three Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT) workers in the wake of last summer’s union boss-instigated strike against the company.

The NLRB’s complaint stems from federal charges filed by three Caterpillar workers, with free legal aid from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, against the International Association of Machinists (IAM) District Lodge 851 union for violating their rights and levying retaliatory strike fines against them.

On May 1, 2012, IAM District Lodge 851 union bosses ordered all of the over 800 Joliet Caterpillar workers on strike. Over a hundred workers worked despite the IAM union boss demands.

After the strike ended, IAM Local 851 union bosses levied fines that likely totaled over a million dollars against workers for continuing to work during the strike.

In response, 50 workers filed federal charges with free assistance from Foundation attorneys alleging that they were never truly voluntary union members and therefore were exempt from the union hierarchy’s constitution and bylaws and cannot be disciplined for continuing to work during a union boss-ordered strike.

Although many of those charges have since been withdrawn or settled, the NLRB has issued a complaint for two workers who allege that union officials gave them permission or told them it was acceptable to go back to work and a third worker who resigned union membership before returning to work.

«The NLRB will finally prosecute IAM union bosses now that their pattern of workers’ rights abuses has become clear,» said Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Foundation. «The ugly aftermath of the Caterpillar strike underscores the need for an Illinois Right to Work law.»

Twenty-four states have Right to Work protections for workers. Public polling shows that nearly 80 percent of Americans and union members support the principle of voluntary unionism.

Worker Rights Advocate Blasts McCain/Reid NLRB Deal

President’s NLRB appointments will pave the way for at least three more years of forced-unionism giveaways

Washington, DC (July 16, 2013) – Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, issued the following statement in response to President Barack Obama’s reported new nominations to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB):

"Union bosses know their coercive agenda is overwhelmingly unpopular with the American people. This is why they’ve turned to unelected administrative agencies like the NLRB to push through much of what they cannot get through Congress.

"And after Senator John McCain apparently struck a backroom deal today with Senate Democrats to sell out independent-minded workers, the Obama White House wasted no time meeting with union bosses to determine who they want on the agency to enact their radical agenda.

"Even though the American people who are outraged by this rouge NLRB were not included in these discussions, Obama’s NLRB appointments will pave the way for at least three more years of the very forced-unionism giveaways union bosses failed to obtain through the legislative process.

Click here to read the full release.

Local Postal Worker Files Federal Charge Against Postal Service for Failure to Process Union Resignation

Human resources representative’s failure to process worker’s request to refrain from union dues payments forces him to pay union dues for another year

Hampden, ME (July 24, 2013) – A local United States Postal Service (USPS) worker has filed a federal charge against the agency for failing to timely process his request to refrain from union membership and dues payments, thus forcing him to pay union dues for another year.

Brett Johnson of Holden, Maine, filed the charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Monday with free legal assistance from National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation staff attorneys.

On April 30, 2003, Johnson joined the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) union and signed a dues deduction authorization form. Dues deduction authorizations are used by union officials to automatically withhold dues from employee paychecks.

On April 10, 2013, Johnson sent a letter to the NALC union resigning his membership and refraining from union dues payments. Johnson hand-delivered the same letter to his postal service human resources representative the following day.

Postal workers have the right to refrain from union membership and union dues payments. However, according to the union’s monopoly bargaining agreement, Johnson has only a ten day period starting on April 10 each year when he can revoke his union dues deduction authorization.

Click here to read the full release.

Ford Motor Security Company, Local Union Face Federal Prosecution for Numerous Violations

Union officials discriminate against nonmembers

Dearborn, MI (July 30, 2013) – A security company and a Dearborn-based union are facing a federal prosecution for a litany of workers’ rights abuses.

The prosecution comes in the wake of a series of charges filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) by three security guards, one of whom is receiving free legal assistance from National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation staff attorneys.

The three security guards filed the charges after their employer, AlliedBarton Security Services, entered into a monopoly bargaining agreement with the United Protective Workers of America (UPWA) Local 1 union hierarchy shortly before Michigan’s new Right to Work law took effect.

The agreement illegally requires AlliedBarton security guards working at Ford Motor Company facilities in Dearborn to join the UPWA union and pay full union dues as a condition of employment. The agreement also requires the security guards to irrevocably sign up for full union dues payments in order to receive signing bonuses.

Click here to read the full release.

Worker Advocate Launches TV Ad Campaign Reaching Out to Area Healthcare Professionals

National Right to Work Foundation seeks to inform workers of their rights

Pittsburgh, PA (July 30, 2013) – The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation has launched an information campaign focusing on Pittsburgh-area hospital workers.

The Foundation launched the television ad campaign after receiving reports that a Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is stepping up pressure on the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) to hand over its workers and allow them to be shoved into union ranks.

The ad campaign currently consists of a series of messages featuring healthcare professionals the Foundation has assisted in the past. The Foundation is the nation’s premier organization exclusively dedicated to providing free legal assistance to employee victims of forced unionism abuse.

Click here to read the full release.

Local FAA Worker Files Federal Charge Challenging Illegal Union Dues Scheme

Union officials refuse to acknowledge worker’s rights; continue taking dues despite his request

Myrtle Beach, SC (August 1, 2013) – A local Air Transportation Systems Specialist for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has filed a federal charge against the Professional Airways Systems Specialists (PASS) union for forcing him to pay union dues even though he is not a union member.

With the help of National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, Daryl Reinsch of Conway filed the charge with the Federal Labor Relations Authority earlier this week.

On October 22, 2012, Reinsch resigned membership in the PASS union and timely revoked his union dues deduction authorization effective March 1, 2013, under the contract then in effect. Union officials use union dues deduction authorizations to have dues automatically withheld from employee paychecks.

However, FAA and PASS union officials refuse to acknowledge Reinsch’s dues deduction authorization revocation because the FAA and the union hierarchy signed a new monopoly bargaining agreement in December, after Reinsch timely resigned union membership and revoked his dues deduction authorization.

As a result, the FAA continues to collect, and PASS union officials continue to accept, union dues from Reinsch’s paychecks.

Click here to read the full release.

Air Traffic Controller Files Charges against FAA, Union for Overt Religious Discrimination

Union had worker transferred to force him to work on Saturday, violating his religious beliefs and threatening his livelihood

Potomac, VA (August 6, 2013) – With the help of National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employee has filed charges against his employer and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) union with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Federal Labor Relations Authority. Matthew Gray’s charges allege that union and FAA officials used his religious beliefs to punish him after he decided to resign from the union.

Gray, a Seventh-day Adventist, currently works at the FAA’s Potomac facility. After resigning his membership in NATCA because he believes union membership is contrary to his faith, Gray was informed by a union official on February 6 that he was being removed from his detail and transferred to another in which he would have to work on Saturdays as punishment for resigning from the union.

Click here to read the full release.

Washington, DC (July 16, 2013) – Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, issued the following statement in response to President Barack Obama’s reported new nominations to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB):

"Union bosses know their coercive agenda is overwhelmingly unpopular with the American people. This is why they’ve turned to unelected administrative agencies like the NLRB to push through much of what they cannot get through Congress.

"And after Senator John McCain apparently struck a backroom deal today with Senate Democrats to sell out independent-minded workers, the Obama White House wasted no time meeting with union bosses to determine who they want on the agency to enact their radical agenda.

"Even though the American people who are outraged by this rouge NLRB were not included in these discussions, Obama’s NLRB appointments will pave the way for at least three more years of the very forced-unionism giveaways union bosses failed to obtain through the legislative process.

"Obama reportedly will nominate career union lawyers Nancy Schiffer and Kent Hirozawa to the NLRB. Both NLRB nominees, who are practically guaranteed to be confirmed, are staunch pro-forced unionism advocates.

"Schiffer is a long-time supporter of ‘card check’ unionization and has testified before Congress in favor of this coercive scheme.

"Meanwhile, Foundation staff attorneys squared off against Kent Hirozawa in a case in which union officials unlawfully retaliated against a worker for initiating a successful workplace decertification drive to eject the unwanted union from her workplace.

"The worker received free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation attorneys after her home was flooded with hundreds of unwanted magazines and advertisements, jeopardizing her credit rating."

Hampden, ME (July 24, 2013) – A local United States Postal Service (USPS) worker has filed a federal charge against the agency for failing to timely process his request to refrain from union membership and dues payments, thus forcing him to pay union dues for another year.

Brett Johnson of Holden, Maine, filed the charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Monday with free legal assistance from National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation staff attorneys.

On April 30, 2003, Johnson joined the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) union and signed a dues deduction authorization form. Dues deduction authorizations are used by union officials to automatically withhold dues from employee paychecks.

On April 10, 2013, Johnson sent a letter to the NALC union resigning his membership and refraining from union dues payments. Johnson hand-delivered the same letter to his postal service human resources representative the following day.

Postal workers have the right to refrain from union membership and union dues payments. However, according to the union’s monopoly bargaining agreement, Johnson has only a ten day period starting on April 10 each year when he can revoke his union dues deduction authorization.

Despite his requests, the human resources representative failed to forward his letter to the proper human resources department officials for processing until June 10, 2013. As a result, the USPS continues to deduct union dues from Johnson’s paychecks, and he cannot ask again to stop dues payments until next year.

«Despite this worker going above and beyond what he needs to do to refrain from paying union dues, those dues will continue to be taken from his paychecks,» said Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Foundation. «This case displays how union officials have the power to make it difficult for workers to exercise their right to refrain from paying union dues, even in situations where workers have Right to Work protections.»

Johnson’s charge seeks to stop the confiscation of union dues from his paychecks and a refund of all union dues illegally seized from his paychecks.