National Right to Work Foundation Provides free legal assistance to workers victimized by compulsory unionism 52 weeks a year

Springfield, VA (August 18, 2016) – The National Right to Work Foundation, a charitable organization that provides free legal assistance to employees nationwide, is joining the Nevada Policy Research Institute and a host of other organizations to commemorate National Employee Freedom Week. This weeklong event is dedicated to informing employees across the country of their rights to refrain from union membership and the payment of full union dues.

Since its founding in 1968, the National Right to Work Foundation has been a leading organization involved in the fight to protect workers from the abuse of union bosses and compulsory unionism. The Foundation’s sole, year-long mission is to fight against the injustices of coercive unionism through strategic litigation and education programs.
The Foundation’s sister organization, the National Right to Work Committee is also participating in Employee Freedom Week. The Committee is a 2.8 million member grassroots organization dedicated to ending compulsory unionism once and for all.

The Foundation broadcasts public service announcements on radio programs across the country and publishes numerous opinion pieces in local and national outlets on the importance of informing workers about their rights to refrain from union membership and the payment of full union dues.

Moreover, Foundation staff attorneys have litigated for workers in all 50 states to enforce employees’ rights to opt out of union membership. In just the past 12 months, Foundation staff attorneys provided free legal representation in over 250 active cases. They have also fought to defend and enforce state Right to Work laws, most recently in Wisconsin, and West Virginia where new Right to Work laws are being attacked by union lawyers in court. Foundation staff attorneys have filed amicus curiae briefs in two ongoing cases in Wisconsin as well as 11 cases in West Virginia.

Foundation attorneys have successfully argued several significant Supreme Court cases that limit Big Labor’s forced-dues powers and protect workers’ rights to refrain from union activity. In 2012, Knox v. SEIU established an important legal precedent the prevented union bosses from exacting special dues assessments and increases without a worker’s affirmative consent. In 2014, Harris v. Quinn led to thousands of home health care workers being freed from the shackles of compulsory unionism.

“Unfortunately, Big Labor has waged a successful campaign to deceive many workers into believing they have no rights when it comes to leaving a union or cutting off union dues for politics,” said Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation. “In fact, workers in the 26 states with Right to Work protections cannot be required to pay any union fees as a condition of employment.”
“Furthermore, even in the 24 states that haven’t yet passed Right to Work protections, employees have the right to resign their formal union membership and cut off the portion of their dues that is being spent on union politics and lobbying,” continued Mix. “The National Right to Work Foundation stands ready to provide free legal aid to any worker who needs assistance in exercising and defending these critical rights.”

The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization providing free legal aid to employees whose human or civil rights have been violated by compulsory unionism abuses. The Foundation, which can be contacted toll-free at 1-800-336-3600, assists thousands of employees in about 200 cases nationwide per year.