Worker Advocate Offers $10,000 Reward's Cars

Worker alleges union militants threatened non-striking workers and their families; police reports show two vehicles damaged during the same night

Chicago, IL (June 18, 2013) – The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation has announced today a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrests and convictions of those responsible for damaging a South Water Market, Inc. worker's personal and work vehicles during a Teamster union strike.

With free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, the Chicago-area South Water Market worker filed a federal charge last week against the Teamsters Local 703 union alleging that union militants threatened him, his family and his property, and that his personal property was damaged shortly after he received those threats.

Click here to read the full release.

Local Unions Attempt to Circumvent Indiana’s Right to Work Law

Union officials game system to collect union dues and fees despite Indiana’s popular Right to Work law

Indianapolis, IN (June 14, 2013) – In separate cases, two Indianapolis-area workers have filed charges against two local unions for violating their rights to refrain from union dues payments.

With free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, the two workers filed federal unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

In one case, Indianapolis AT&T (NYSE: T) worker Joshua Sterrett resigned membership in the Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 4900 union on January 21, 2013. Even though CWA Local 4900 union officials acknowledged Sterrett's union membership resignation on January 30, Sterrett alleges that union officials failed to tell him how he could timely revoke his dues deductions. As a result, he is forced to pay union fees for an additional year.

Click here to read the full release.

Foundation staff attorney, Ave Maria law professor, and former National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Member John Raudabaugh has published his latest installment to the Foundation's "NLRB Watch" blog feature.

In "NLRB Watch" #8, titled "What the Noel Canning Decision Means for NLRB Cases," Raudabaugh charts what cases may be subject to challenge in the wake of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia's ruling last month invalidating President Barack Obama's controversial purported "recess appointments" to the Board. The court held President Obama could not constitutionality make those appointments without U.S. Senate confirmation because the Senate was not in recess. National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys filed an amicus curiae brief jointly with the Landmark Legal Foundation in the case.

As a result of the court's ruling, since at least January 3, 2012, the Board has lacked a quorum as required by a U.S. Supreme Court precedent established in 2010, thus invalidating the Board's rulings since that time. Click here to see a chart displaying the many cases invalidated by the court's decision in Noel Canning.

Click here to read other posts located at the "NLRB Watch" page. And be sure to follow the National Right to Work Foundation on Facebook and Twitter to get alerts on new "NLRB Watch" posts!

In December 2012, Michigan became the nation's 24th state to pass Right to Work protections for its workers. On March 28, 2013, Michigan's private sector and public sector Right to Work laws went into effect and Michigan workers finally have Right to Work protections.

If you are a private sector worker in Michigan and you want to know more about your rights under Michigan's new Right to Work law, click here.  If you are a public sector worker, click here.

Recent media reports suggest that union bosses are attempting to skirt Michigan's Right to Work law any way they can.  The Wall Street Journal even reported that a Michigan teacher union boss sent out a memo stating union officials should consider suing union members who exercise their Right to Work and refrain from union membership and dues payments.

Fortunately, the National Right to Work Foundation has of a special task force committed to defending Michigan workers who seek to exercise their rights under the state's newly-enacted Right to Work law.  If you, or someone you know, needs legal assistance, please contact the National Right to Work Foundation by calling toll free 1-800-336-3600 or by clicking here.

In an ongoing case involving four West Virginia Constellium Rolled Products workers who continued to work during last fall's Steelworker union-instigated strike against the company, recently-obtained photos portray the union militants' intimidation of those workers.

Union militants put up an outhouse featuring a creepy hanging doll's head and posted signs publicizing the names, addresses, and phone numbers of the workers who continued to work during the strike.

The four workers resigned their union membership in the United Steelworkers (USW) Local 5668 union before they continued to work during the strike. Under federal law, workers who refrain from union membership are exempt from the union's constitution and bylaws and thus cannot be disciplined for continuing to work during a union boss-ordered strike.

After the strike concluded, the workers received threatening letters from USW Local 5668 union officials stating that the union hierarchy intends to levy retaliatory strike fines against the workers at "the maximum penalty allowed." Union officials also stated that the workers will be placed "at the bottom of the seniority list," which is a clear violation of federal labor law.

With free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, the four workers filed federal charges against the USW Local 5668 union with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) last month.

Regular Freedom@Work readers may remember the case of Pam Harris, an Illinois woman who is challenging an SEIU scheme aimed at forcing her and other homecare providers into union ranks. For the past several years, Harris has received free legal assistance from Foundation staff attorneys. 

In November 2011, Harris filed a a petition for a writ of certiorari at the Supreme Court, challenging the SEIU's forced-unionism scheme on the grounds that it violates homecare providers' freedom of association and freedom of speech. Last June, the Supreme Court asked for a brief on the issues presented from the Solicitor General, a move that could indicate heightened interest in the case. The Solicitor General's brief was filed in early May. Harris's Foundation-provided staff attorney submitted a reply shortly thereafter. 

Although we hoped the Supreme Court would announce whether it would take the case this morning, it was not on today's orders list, meaning the case will be conferenced again this Thursday. That makes this coming Monday (June 17th) the likely day the Court will announce whether or not it will take the case. 

For more information on the case, including links to Harris's petition and several amicus curiae briefs filed in support of her arguments, check out Scotusblog.