Federal Labor Board vs the Union

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.