WVU Hospital Employee Files Federal Charge after Union Ignores Her Rights

Morgantown, WV (November 23, 2011) – With aid from the National Right to Work Foundation, a West Virginia University Hospital employee has filed a second federal charge against a local union for refusing to honor her resignation from formal union membership, forcing her to pay full union dues against her will, and failing to provide the legally-required disclosure of how her forced dues are being spent. Kimberly Wright initially resigned formal union membership from the Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 814 in December 2010. Wright exercised her rights under the Foundation-won U.S. Supreme Court precedent in Communication Workers v. Beck, which allows workers to refrain from full-dues-paying union membership.

Auto Parts Manufacturing Workers Force Out Unwanted Union

Long Island, NY (November 9, 2011) – A group of automobile parts manufacturing workers have forced out an unwanted union despite the union and the company trying to keep the workers under union control. With free legal aid from the National Right to Work Foundation, Sterling Instruments, Inc. worker Charlie Shannon filed unfair labor practice charges for himself and his coworkers against the International Union of Electronic, Electrical, Salaried, Machine, and Furniture Workers-Communications Workers of America (IUE-CWA) Local 463 union. He also filed a decertification petition to force out the union. In his charges, Shannon asked the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to halt an unpopular local union from forcing its representation on him and his colleagues after all but one of them signed a petition to remove the unwanted union from their workplace.

Worker Advocate Offers Legal Aid to Charlotte Employees Discriminated Against during Democrat Convention

Charlotte, NC (November 9, 2011) – The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, which helps victims of forced unionism, is offering free legal aid to workers who refrain from union membership and may be ordered off their jobs or prevented to work during the 2012 Democratic National Convention scheduled for August 2012 in Charlotte. In response to media reports, the Right to Work Foundation is offering free legal assistance for nonunion Time Warner Cable Arena, surrounding venue, local hotel, and other area workers who may lose work in favor of unionized workers in the lead up to and during the convention. Discriminating against workers who exercise their right to refrain from union membership is a clear violation of North Carolina's Right to Work law and the federal National Labor Relations Act. The Foundation encourages workers to learn about their rights and request free legal advice and aid at its website: www.nrtw.org.

Coca-Cola Worker Wins Thousands in Settlement After Union Bosses Illegally Had Him Fired

Houston, PA (November 4, 2011) – A Coca-Cola employee has won a settlement for over $4,000 with free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation. Keith Smiesko of Saxonburg won $3,356.46 from Teamster Local 585 union officials and $819.54 from Coca-Cola after he was illegally fired from his job for exercising his rights under the Foundation-won Supreme Court precedent in Communication Workers v. Beck, which allows workers to refrain from full-dues-paying union membership. Earlier this year, Teamster Local 585 union officials ordered Smiesko – who had refrained from full union membership and dues payments – to immediately pay full union dues for the previous three years along with additional union initiation fees without ever notifying him that he was being charged for their so-called "representation." Union officials illegally threatened Smiesko with job termination if he did not pay.

Auto Parts Manufacturing Workers Seek to Disassemble Unpopular Union Boss Bargaining Powers

Long Island, NY (November 1, 2011) – A Levittown automobile parts manufacturing worker is asking the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to halt an unpopular local union from forcing its representation on him and his colleagues. With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation, Charlie Shannon filed unfair labor practice charges for himself and his coworkers against the International Union of Electronic, Electrical, Salaried, Machine, and Furniture Workers-Communications Workers of America (IUE-CWA) Local 463 union. IUE-CWA Local 463 union officials no longer enjoy majority support from the employees after a majority of them signed a petition to remove the unwanted union from their workplace. However, union officials unlawfully continue to negotiate a new monopoly bargaining agreement with the employer, Sterling Instruments, Inc.

Worker Advocate Files Motion in Federal Labor Board Posting Notice Case

Washington, DC (October 26, 2011) – Today, National Right to Work Foundation attorneys filed a motion for summary judgment in their federal lawsuit challenging the National Labor Relations Board's (NLRB) new union posting rules released recently. The motion was filed this afternoon in conjunction with National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. The Foundation's case challenges the new rules requiring virtually every employer in the country to post biased information about employee rights online and in the workplace, even if they've never committed a violation or been accused of unfair labor practices. Meanwhile, the new rules do not require union officials to issue information about workers' rights to refrain from union membership or opt out of union dues.

Civil Servants File New Brief in Federal Public-Sector Unionism Case

Madison, WI (October 20, 2011) – With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation and the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, three Wisconsin public employees affected by Wisconsin’s recent public-sector unionism reforms have filed an amicus curiae brief in federal court asking the judge to uphold the new law and deny the unions' request to suspend the law. Pleasant Prairie teacher Kristi Lacroix, Waukesha high school teacher Nathan Berish, and trust fund specialist at the Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds Ricardo Cruz filed the brief late last week in favor of the reforms which sharply limited government union officials' monopoly bargaining power over public workers and taxpayers.

Verizon Employee Files Federal Charge Against CWA Union Officials for Ignoring Her Rights

Newport News, VA (October 6, 2011) – In the wake of the recent Communications Workers of America (CWA) union-boss instigated strike that grabbed national headlines, a Newport News, Virginia Verizon (NYSE: VZ) worker has filed federal charges against the union and company for violating her rights. With free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation attorneys, Williamsburg resident Monika Cassell filed unfair labor practice charges against the CWA union, its Local 2205, and Verizon for ignoring her right to refrain from paying union dues. Upset by the CWA union officials' order to strike, and desiring to continue working to provide for their families, Cassell and other Verizon employees resigned from the union and revoked their dues deduction authorizations – a document used by union officials to automatically collect dues from employees' paychecks – while the union did not have a contract at their workplaces.

Tennessee Teacher Wins Settlement that Refunds Union Dues Used for Controversial Political Activities

Polk County, TN (October 3, 2011) – With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation, a Tennessee public school teacher has won a full refund of union dues from the Polk County Education Association (PCEA), Tennessee Education Association (TEA), and National Education Association (NEA) unions. The settlement results from a 2003 complaint filed in state court by Dewey Esquinance, who wished to become a member of the PCEA to participate in negotiations over his wages and working conditions without supporting the union’s political activities. After a Polk County Circuit Court dismissed the case in 2004, the Tennessee Court of Appeals reversed that ruling and remanded the case back to the circuit court for further deliberations. Rather than go to trial, union lawyers later offered Esquinance a full dues refund, plus interest.