PRESS RELEASE
Union Employs Coercion and Illegal Threats at General Motors Plant; Labor Board Complaint Cites Bully Tactics Under UAW's `New Unionism'
7 March 1997
Union Employs Coercion and Illegal Threats at General Motors Plant; Labor Board Complaint Cites Bully Tactics Under UAW's `New Unionism'
SPRING HILL, Tenn. March 7 -- In a major embarrassment to
United Auto Workers (UAW) union brass, Right to Work attorneys today announced
their success in garnering an unfair labor practice complaint from the
National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against the UAW union after organized
labor officials used illegal threats in an attempt to coerce and intimidate
General Motors workers at the Saturn plant.
The labor board complaint, which names both the UAW International Union
and Local 1853, results from a charge, filed by attorneys with the National
Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation on behalf of a class of Saturn workers
who are victims of an ongoing smear and intimidation campaign launched by
Local 1853 officials. For targeting workers who dared to dissent, UAW
officials will face a trial before a federal labor judge on July 2.
"This proves that the UAW union's claim that they are running some sort of
'new unionism' at the Saturn plant is merely a hoax," said Timothy McConville,
vice president of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation which
offers free legal aid to the victims of compulsory unionism abuses. "In fact,
Local 1853 is employing the same bully tactics, the same threats, and the same
coercion for which UAW union officials are notorious around the country."
The complaint, issued late this week on behalf of Earl R. Lee of Pulaski
and a class of Saturn employees, details the union's violation of the National
Labor Relations Act (NLRA) by illegally penalizing, "restraining, and
coercing" employees who have chosen to exercise their Foundation-won and
statutory right to resign from the union.
In addition to smearing Saturn workers who merely exercise their rights
under the Tennessee Right to Work Law, UAW officials brand these workers with
the title "dishonorably withdrawn." Then, the union officials persecute
workers with a discriminatory policy that forces them to fork over all "back
dues" if they ever choose to rejoin the union in the future.
"UAW union bosses have continually bullied Saturn employees to prevent
them from exercising their freedoms," said McConville. "Then, these union
officials bitterly smear and threaten workers when they have the courage to
stand up for themselves."
Foundation attorneys indicate that these illegal penalties are designed to
intimidate workers and prevent them from ever resigning in the first place, in
direct violation of Tennessee's Right to Work Law. The law protects workers'
freedom to choose whether to join a labor union.
The illegal seizure and use of an estimated $500 million in compulsory
union dues on politics this year has led many employees to reconsider their
union membership. However, millions of these workers who object to the
illegal seizure of union dues for Big Labor's politics are continually faced
with unlawful attacks by union officials, and many workers are even threatened
with the loss of their jobs.
The complaint, issued late this week, marks the most recent action in the
Foundation's long battle for employee freedom at the Saturn plant, dating back
to the mid 1980s.
"Years ago, UAW bigwigs cut a back-door deal with Saturn to force workers
to accept the union's 'representation' under the guise of a new way of doing
business," stated McConville. "Instead, the UAW union chiefs are going about
business as usual, pulling every dirty trick in the book to hold workers under
their yoke."
Foundation attorneys seek an NLRB unfair labor practice ruling, which
would strike down the illegal union policy, force the UAW union to withdraw
all illegal threats against Saturn workers, and notify every worker of their
right to resign at will and cut off all seizures of their dues.
The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation is a nonprofit,
charitable organization providing free legal aid to employees whose human or
civil rights have been violated by compulsory unionism abuses. The Foundation
is assisting thousands of employees in over 400 cases nationwide and can be
reached toll-free at 800-336-3600.
SOURCE National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, Inc.
CONTACT: Stefan Gleason or Tim McConville, 800-336-3600, or 703-321-8510,
both of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation