Officials with one of the nation's most politically powerful unions now face federal charges for threatening nurses who refused to financially support union bosses.
“Two nurses at Ascension Genesys Hospital in Grand Blanc Township, MI, have hit the Teamsters Local 332 union with federal unfair labor practice charges, maintaining that union bosses threatened to fire them and other nurses if they didn't sign forms authorizing union officials to deduct dues straight out of their paychecks,” the National Right to Work Legal Defense Founation, who is representing them, reports.
“The nurses, Madrina Wells and Lynette Doyle, filed their unfair labor practice charges at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) with free legal aid from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys,” the NRLDF reports.
The Teamsters, fueled by forced union dues, are one of the nation's biggest political donors.
“I already had issues with Teamsters bosses illegally demanding money from me when Right to Work was in force,” commented Mardrina Wells. “Back then, I at least knew that I was defending my right to pay nothing at all to Teamsters bosses I disapprove of. It's ridiculous that they now have the power to force me to pay them, but I'll defend what rights I do have.”
“Michigan union bosses prioritize seizing dues over respecting workers' individual rights, and have only been emboldened by the legislature's partisan repeal of Right to Work,” observed National Right to Work Foundation President Mark Mix. “But Michigan workers have been increasingly standing up to defend what rights they still have against union coercion, and it's important that every worker learn those rights as union officials continue to exploit the new forced-unionism environment.”
“The charges from Wells and Doyle are the most recent in a flurry of Foundation-backed cases for Michigan workers who are seeking to challenge or escape union bosses' coercive power in the wake of Michigan's repeal of its Right to Work law. Since the repeal became effective this February, union bosses have had the legal power to require workers to pay union dues or fees as a condition of employment. In states with Right to Work protections, union membership and all union financial support are strictly voluntary,” the NRLDF reports.
“The NLRB is the agency responsible for enforcing federal labor law in the private sector. Even in states like Michigan that lack Right to Work protections, and allow for forced-fee requirements, longstanding federal law prohibits union bosses from requiring workers to authorize the direct deduction of union dues from their paychecks. The Foundation-won Communications Workers of America v. Beck Supreme Court decision additionally forbids union bosses in non-Right to Work states from forcing workers to pay money for any activities beyond the union's bargaining functions, such as political expenditures,” the NRLDF adds.
“NLRB agents will now investigate Wells' and Doyle's charges. According to both, Teamsters officials threatened them ‘and similarly situated employees with termination of their employment if they refused to complete and submit a dues check-off authorization by July 12th,” the NRLDF notes.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.
The Teamsters have always been a corrupt union, threatening their members as well as those who disagree with them. I am surprised they haven’t put a “hit” out on these women. Unions are generally worthless, money-grabbing entities that do very little for their members. Not one finger has been lifted in the defence of the Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/RAM union employees who are losing their jobs at unprecedented rates because of the French Company that bought them a couple of years ago. One more example of their corruption.