National Right to Work - Legal Defense Foundation, Inc

Click on the title of this post to go to the National Right to Work website.

I have 'joined" the Legal Defense Foundation and requested legal advice from them. Union members have a number of rights under the NLRA and one of those rights is to petition to deauthorize or decertify a union.

If the members want to decertify a union, a valid petition will force a vote and a majority "yes" vote will get rid of the union. Deauthorizating is a much more interesting animal - the local still exists but they can't forcibly collect dues. Every thing else remains the same; you still have your job and you're still "protected" by the same contract. Don't believe anything else you might hear! There is a sample deauthorization petition at the end of this post.

I do not deny nor apologize for my dislike of unions. I don't like anyone spending my money supporting political causes I oppose and I certainly don't like them spending my money when they won't even pretend to represent me.

For me, there were benefits to working for First Transit over RTD but it always concerned me that our pay and benefits were seemingly so far lower than RTD's. I once naively thought that ATU Local 1001 would see the wisdom of providing equal pay and benefits to all bargaining units. Not all at once of course, that wouldn't have been fair to First Transit or the other subcontractors but I see no reason why there could not have been a phase-in over a period of five years. The companies involved could have made a business decision to continue with RTD or not. Boy, was I wrong!

The First Transit CBA was the first contract that expired after the subcontractor company's employees joined ATU Local 1001. What did you get? "we wrapped it up in four days". I understand that the economy has tanked and that having a job at all is a blessing. Something as simple as a "better days are coming" message from the officers would have helped and "we'll work to get equal pay and benefits when the economy is better" would have been fantastic. How much longer do you want to be treated like a red headed step child while RTD employees remain the favorite son?

I can't sign a petition to vote to deauthorize ATU Local 1001 but I can certainly help organize a drive to do so. It appears that as a bargaining unit, First Transit employees could petition and force an election on their own. That was my specific question to the Legal Defense Foundation.

I'm doing what I can, now I need the help of everyone who doesn't think ATU Local 1001 is doing what you pay them to do. I'll guarantee anonymity to anyone who wants information on how the process works. Talk to your fellow union members, First Transit, Laidlaw, Viola and even RTD. Together we CAN make a difference!

Larry Seale

Former First Transit Employee and ATU Local 1001 member

PETITION FOR WITHDRAWAL OF UNION SHOP AUTHORITY--DEAUTHORIZATION ELECTION--UD


The undersigned employees, constituting 30% or more of the bargaining unit covered by a contract between ___________________ (union name) and _______________________ (employer name), wish to withdraw the authority of _____________________(union name) and _______________________(employer name) to enter into and enforce the union shop clause in the contract. The undersigned employees petition the National Labor Relations Board to hold a deauthorization election to determine whether the majority of employees wish to withdraw the authority of the union and the employer to enter into and enforce the union shop clause in the contract.

______________________ _______________________ ____________

(Print Name) (Sign) (Date)

______________________ _______________________ ____________
(Print Name) (Sign) (Date)

______________________ _______________________ ____________
(Print Name) (Sign) (Date)