-By Warner Todd Huston
Well, mark one in the “win” column for the little guy against union thugs, here.
One thing that many states and employees groups as well as brave individuals have been trying to get settled for at least the last 10 years is a ruling that prevents unions from using a member’s union dues for political purposes of which the member doesn’t approve. It’s an opt out policy whereby an employee can tell the union not to use his dues for political purposes.
Part of the battle to get such a rule in place has been won. But unions continue to try to find ways around this rule so that they can continue to steal members’ dues and use them against a member’s wishes. Currently, many unions force the employee and union member to sign the request every single year instead of allowing it to be stated but once. In this way, the union imagines that the employee will forget (if he ever knew) to apply for the exemption all over again after doing it the first time. Often they are correct. So, even a request not to use dues for political purposes can be ignored at a later date.
Well, apparently there has been a ruling against the unions in Florida. As reported by NRTW.org:
Pensacola, FL (December 11, 2007) – After nearly a four-year delay, a Florida worker has prompted an administrative law judge of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to strike down a nationwide policy of a major international union that requires employees to object annually to prevent union officials from spending their compulsory union dues for political activities. The policy is a pervasive tactic used by union officials to prevent dissenting employees from reclaiming forced union dues used to promote political causes they oppose.
National Right to Work Foundation attorneys helped Robert Prime, an employee of L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace, LLC at the Naval Air Station, file unfair labor practice charges in December 2003 against the International Association of Machinists (IAM) union Local Lodge 2777. The charges alleged that union officials violated Prime’s rights by forcing him to renew his objection to funding union political advocacy every single year.
This decision was originally sought in 2003, but better late than never.
Says Stefan Gleeson of the NRTW:
“America’s workers may have one fewer hoop to jump through to reclaim their forced dues used for politics. However, this lengthy legal battle underscores why no one should be forced to pay dues to an unwanted union in the first place.”
Let’s hope this sort of thing spreads the country over.
____________
Warner Todd Huston is a Chicago based freelance writer, has been writing opinion editorials and social criticism since early 2001 and is featured on many websites such as newsbusters.org, townhall.com, New Media Journal, Men’s News Daily and the New Media Alliance among many, many others. Additionally, he has been a frequent guest on talk-radio programs to discuss his opinion editorials and current events. He has also written for several history magazines and appears in the new book “Americans on Politics, Policy and Pop Culture” which can be purchased on amazon.com. He is also the owner and operator of publiusforum.com. Feel free to contact him with any comments or questions : EMAIL Warner Todd Huston