Indiana Workers Ask to File Amicus Brief Defending Hoosier Right to Work Law

Hammond, IN (April 2, 2012) – Today, a group of Indiana workers from across the state filed a motion for leave to file an amicus brief in federal court in support of their newly-enacted Right to Work freedoms. With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation, the four workers – David Bercot, a certified wastewater operator for ITR Concession Company which services Indiana toll road rest stops in the Fort Wayne-area; Joel Tibbetts, a Minteq International assistant manager in Valparaiso; Douglas Richards, an employee with Goshen-based Cequent Towing Products; and Larry Getts, a Dana Holding Corporation tube press technician in Albion – all joined in the brief defending the law against a union-boss challenge.

IUOE Union Bosses Face Federal Charges for Nixing Union Financial Disclosure

Indianapolis, IN (March 30, 2012) – A union headquartered in suburban Chicago that is challenging Indiana's newly-enacted Right to Work law in federal court is again facing legal woes for violating workers' rights.National Right to Work Foundation attorneys are providing free legal assistance to David Bercot of Orland, a certified wastewater operator for the ITR Concession Company, which services toll road rest stops in the Fort Wayne area. Bercot has field federal unfair labor practice charges against International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 150 for refusing to provide him information about union financial expenditures.Bercot must accept IUOE officials' so-called "representation" and is still required to pay dues to the union to keep his job until the union's current contract expires, after which he will be freed from that requirement by Indiana’s new Right to Work law.

Right to Work Foundation Attorneys File Motion to Intervene in Circuit Court to Challenge Obama’s ‘Recess’ NLRB Appointments

Washington, DC (March 26, 2012) – With the help of National Right to Work Foundation attorneys, seven workers moved to intervene in a D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals case that could determine if President Obama’s recent recess appointments to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) are constitutional. John Lugo, Douglas Richards, David Yost, Connie Gray, Karen Medley, and Janette and Tommy Fuentes are all involved in cases pending before the Board. They seek to intervene in a federal court appeal from a recent NLRB decision which presents the issue of whether the Board had the required three-member quorum to make a ruling.

Hospital Union Officials Face Federal Charges for Disclosure Malpractice

Pleasanton, California (March 23, 2012) – A Kaiser Pleasanton Clinic nurse has filed federal unfair labor practice charges against a local union for violating her rights.With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation, Donna Von der Lieth of San Ramon filed the charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).Von der Lieth sent a letter to California Nurses Association (CNA) union officials resigning from formal union membership and invoked her right to refrain from paying full union dues in September 2011. However, because CNA union officials enjoy monopoly bargaining privileges over her workplace, and because California does not have state Right to Work protections for its workers, Von der Lieth is forced to accept CNA union officials' "representation" and pay union fees as a condition of employment.

Employee from Non-Profit Public Defense Firm Defends Her Rights from SEIU Union Hierarchy

Seattle, WA (March 20, 2012) – An employee at a private, non-profit public defense law firm has filed federal unfair labor practice charges against a Seattle-area union for violating her rights.With free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation attorneys, Society of Counsel Representing Accused Persons employee Stephanie Kalfayan filed the charges Friday with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) regional office in Seattle.Kalfayan resigned from formal union membership in Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 925 and invoked her right to refrain from paying full union dues. However, because SEIU Local 925 officials enjoy monopoly bargaining privileges over her workplace, and because Washington does not have state Right to Work protections for its workers, Kalfayan is forced to accept SEIU officials' "representation" and pay union fees as a condition of employment.

Union Officials Challenging Indiana Right to Work Law Forced to Settle Union Dues Case

Indianapolis, IN (March 9, 2012) – The union headquartered in suburban Chicago, Illinois challenging Indiana's newly-enacted Right to Work law in federal court has been forced to refund money illegally taken from workers' paychecks as part of a settlement.The National Right to Work Foundation provided free legal assistance to Valparaiso-area Minteq International employees Joel Tibbetts and Adam Hill in the prolonged legal battle dating back to 2007.The Minteq employees' workplace is unionized by the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 150 union hierarchy. Both workers have refrained from union membership but still must accept IUOE Local 150 union officials' so-called "representation" and are required to pay dues to the union to keep their jobs, until their current contract expires, after which they will be freed from that requirement by Indiana's new Right to Work law.

SEIU Hit with Federal Charge for Sweeping Hospital Housekeeper’s Rights Under the Rug

Kissimmee, FL (March 8, 2012) – An Osceola Regional Medical Center housekeeper has filed federal charges against a major healthcare union for repeatedly violating federal law by refusing to allow her to exercise her right to refrain from dues-paying union membership under Florida's popular Right to Work law.With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation, Imaculada Camara of St. Cloud filed the charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).On December 8, 2011, Camara sent a letter notifying Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare Workers East officials that she was exercising her right to resign from union membership. Instead of acknowledging her request, SEIU officials rejected her letter because it was not sent via registered mail. On December 28, Camara sent a second letter, which SEIU officials again rejected, this time for not being timely.

Wisconsin Civil Servant Files Brief in Defense of Governor Walker’s Public Sector Union Reform Bill

Madison, WI (March 6, 2012) – With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation and the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, a Wisconsin public school teacher filed an amicus curiae brief in state court yesterday supporting Governor Walker's public sector union reform bill. The recently-enacted legislation ensures that most Wisconsin public employees do not have to join or pay dues to a union as a condition of employment and bans automatic union dues deductions from public employees' paychecks. Eli Grajkowski, a veteran Wisconsin educator, filed the brief today in Dane County Circuit Court in response to a union legal challenge by the Public Employees Local 61 union and Madison Teachers, Inc., a local affiliate of the National Education Association (NEA) union.

Workers File Brief Opposing Union Boss Challenge to Indiana Right to Work Law

Hammond, IN (March 2, 2012) – In response to union bosses' federal lawsuit against Indiana's popular Right to Work law, a group of Indiana workers from across the state are filing an amicus brief in support of their newly-enacted Right to Work freedoms.With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation, the four workers – David Bercot, a certified wastewater operator for ITR Concession Company which services Indiana toll road rest stops in the Fort Wayne-area; Joel Tibbetts, a Minteq International assistant manager in Valparaiso; Douglas Richards, an employee with Goshen-based Cequent Towing Products; and Larry Getts, a Dana Holding Corporation tube press technician in Albion – all joined in the brief defending the law.

Worker Rights Advocate Announces Addition of Former NLRB Member to Legal Staff

Springfield, VA (March 1, 2012) – Today, the National Right to Work Foundation announced the addition of John Raudabaugh, a former National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Member and labor and employee relations attorney. Raudabaugh was nominated to the NLRB by President George H. W. Bush, serving from 1990 to 1993. He has testified before the Senate Committee on Appropriations and the House Committee on Education and the Workforce regarding labor law reform and card-check unionization drives. Raudabaugh also has extensive private sector legal experience, most recently at the Washington, D.C. office of the Nixon Peabody LLP law firm. He has served as an adjunct professor of labor law at Northwestern University, University of Chicago, and Emory University Law Schools.