Federal Labor Board Hits Nurses Union Hierarchy with Complaint for Keeping Workers in Dark
Union officials have failed to provide adequate breakdown of expenditures
Warwick, RI (July 8, 2010) – The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) regional office in Boston issued a formal complaint indicating that local union officials have kept nurses in the dark about the amount of compulsory union dues.
The NLRB’s regional director investigated unfair labor practices charges filed by a Kent Hospital nurse with free legal aid from the National Right to Work Foundation. The regional director found merit to the charges that United Nurses & Allied Professionals (UNAP) union officials failed to meet federal financial disclosure requirements and will now prosecute the union before an administrative law judge.
In September 2009, Jeanette Geary and other nurses informed UNAP union officials that they were exercising their right to refrain from formal union membership and to the payment of any fees for non-bargaining activities including politics and member-only events.
Under the Foundation-won Supreme Court decision Communications Workers v. Beck, employees can only be forced to pay union dues related to workplace bargaining as a condition of employment. Additionally, union officials are obligated to provide employees with an independently verified breakdown of union expenditures to determine how much objecting employees must pay.
UNAP union officials, however, have failed to provide Geary and other nonmember nurses with adequate disclosure as required by law. According to the complaint, union bosses have failed to provide any evidence of an independent audit “beyond a mere assertion.” Moreover, union officials have not provided any breakdown of expenditures from a “Defense Fund” despite claiming they include chargeable expenses.
“Unfortunately, union boss financial chicanery is all too common and many workers are kept in the dark about their rights,” explained Patrick Semmens, legal information director for the National Right to Work Foundation. “The Ocean State should enact a Right to Work law to protect the freedom of association of independent-minded workers.”
Comments
UNAP 5008 needs to be investigated for financial improprieties
I am being harassed by UNAP Local 5008. Twice in recent months they have gone to HR to have me terminated for "non-payment of dues." Not only are my (Beck objector) dues current, they are actually ahead.
First they told me my initial payment in July of 2010 which I sent via certified mail and which they signed for was never received. The treasurer requested a copy of the cancelled check but never came to get it. Now she says I have to send it to the Local - when I called 5008 today they told me she is the one who would get the mail!
In September they had recorded a dues payment from August. Now the treasurer says she never received it (even though the HR rep noted it had been recorded!) nor did she receive my September payment.
I checked with my credit union and all the checks were received and cashed and are stamped with "For Deposit Only to Local 5008."
This is outrageous!
At the same time they came after me in September, other employees were also notified that they had back dues and were allowed to be brought up to date simply by showing check registers - not having to get the copies of the check. UNAP wants my employer to treat everyone the same but they are hypocritically not doing what they require the employer to do.
Also, the treasurer admitted to another employee that she cashed checks without recording them! Say what???? They are taking in 24K per month and this is what they do with hard earned dues payments?
If they are cashing checks without recording them, what are they doing with the money? What do their books look like? Is the president or the treasurer pocketing the money?