Worker Bullied as UAW Publicizes His Opt-out

Michigan Capitol Confidential ^ | 11/16/2015 | Tom Gantert

[MichCapCon]

Another Michigan union has used its newsletter to post the names of employees who have chosen to exercise their right to not have to financially support a union as a condition of employment. Workers say the union is bullying them and creating a hostile work environment.

This time, it’s UAW Local 600 that’s publishing the names of employees who chose to opt out of belonging and paying dues to the union.

Bob Brezovsky, president of the UAW’s Tool & Die Unit, wrote in the union's online publication: “The employees listed below have chosen not to pay union dues any more but still want everything that dues paying members get in the contract. These names and anyone else that chooses to stop paying their fair share will be posted in every article.”

Todd Lemire was one of the individuals whose names were published, and had been a member of 576-member Tool & Die Unit. UAW Local 600 has about 27,000 active and retired members spread across 40 bargaining units in Southeast Michigan. Members include steel workers, auto industry workers, truck drivers, independent parts suppliers, health care and technical office professionals.

Lemire, who joined the union in May of 1998, said he doesn’t hide the fact he chose to leave it, but said he does feel vulnerable now that every UAW member has been alerted to him exercising his option. He said the word “SCAB” was written on his uniform locker at work.

“I decided to opt out after realizing that the UAW truly wasn’t an organization that represented the interest of all their members,” Lemire said in an email. “It spent our dues in ways that didn’t represent my interests or political ideology, nor did I have a say in how my dues were spent. I saw instances of blatant nepotism, political discrimination, and indiscretion in spending year after year while listening to our unit president bad mouth the Republican party with no consideration that he could have a Republican in his midst. I simply had enough and decided I could no longer support an organization that didn’t equally support all of their members. I began to look at the UAW financial reports filed with the Labor Department and saw where our dues were going and it made me sick that I had no choice and was forced to give money to an organization and party that I do not support.”

Terry Bowman is another former union member who opted out. He left UAW Local 898 and is now the president of Union Conservatives, a nonprofit that keeps union members informed about relevant political and labor issues.

“It is definitely union bullying,” Bowman said of Lemire's situation. “It is to shame those that have pulled out of the union. But it causes a hostile environment and they hope that environment will stop anyone else from leaving the union. They want a hostile environment towards those people who exercise their additional rights, freedoms and protections that come from the state’s right-to-work law.”

F. Vincent Vernuccio, the director of labor policy at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, said union membership or lack thereof is personal information.

“Anyone who shares this information without permission should be as liable as someone who shares a Social Security number,” Vernuccio said. “Guarding this information will help workers who exercise their right-to-work rights from union harassment and union members from being targeted by their employers.”

UAW Local 600 President Bernie Ricke didn’t return a message left on his office voice mail. The union didn’t return an email sent to its general account.

Most UAW members in the state can now opt out of their union. The website www.UAWOptOut.com has been set up to walk them through the process.

[tcrlaf]

Union Revenues MUST be protected, at all costs.

The Democrat Party NEEDS and must have that money for the 2016 elections.

[equaviator]

Sounds better when you say it! /s

[Fido969]

It the same liberal tactic they used for traditional marriage supporters.

[Rappini]

My Uncle was President of Local 600 for 15 years and do I have stories to tell. I asked him one time if he would write a book but he refused with no explanation. But with the internet and some research I think I now no why.

[Pollster1]

Bob Brezovsky, president of the UAW's Tool & Die Unit, wrote in the union's online publication: "The employees listed below have chosen not to pay union dues any more but still want everything that dues paying members get in the contract. These names and anyone else that chooses to stop paying their fair share will be posted in every article."

I have encountered evil far too many times in my life. I think my second personal encounter was with union thugs. I was barely old enough to work legally, and two of them threatened to break both of my arms if I didn't do what I was told. I have hated unions ever since, and behavior like this confirms to me that my hatred for those bullies is fully justified. I'm sure there are union members who are decent people, but the groups are always destructive.

[TBP]

Sue the unions. And retaliate in kind. Let’s publish the addresses of the union officials responsible for this.

[DPMD]

The UAW is looking more and more like what many unions have always been thought to be: the organized labor wing of the Mob.

[FrankR]

Unions are like Islamic extremists...join their cult, or pay the price!

[G Larry]

Sue the UAW for intimidation, harassment, and Civil Rights violation (1st Amendment).

[Political Junkie Too]

If the union were a corporation, a university, or a government agency, this would be a violation of personal data privacy.

-PJ

[DoodleDawg]

So I assume that those who opt out of the union aren’t covered by the pay raises, profit sharing, and bonuses that the union contract calls for?

[needmorePaine]

My Uncle was President of Local 600 for 15 years and do I have stories to tell.

Well, do tell! At least one story.

[chrisser]

So I assume that those who opt out of the union aren’t covered by the pay raises, profit sharing, and bonuses that the union contract calls for?

As I understand it, they're only opting out of discretionary dues - the slush fund the union uses for political organizing and everything else that falls under that umbrella. They're still paying the cost for organizing, because the unions won't let them out from under them in a union shop.

[Dr.Deth]

Let's ask Mr. Ucker for his opinion. (language warning)

[DoodleDawg]

As I understand it, they're only opting out of discretionary dues - the slush fund the union uses for political organizing and everything else that falls under that umbrella. They're still paying the cost for organizing, because the unions won't let them out from under them in a union shop.

That's not what the story is saying. The UAW claims that they aren't paying any dues, and since Michigan is a right to work state then they can't be forced to join the union. My question is whether the non-union guys will no longer be impacted by the two-tier salary structure and whether they will be getting bonuses and profit sharing that the contract calls for? Doesn't sound like the auto company would be required to do so.