Thread: MI Union Uses Photo ID to Skirt Right to Work

MI Union Uses Photo ID to Skirt Right to Work

Complaint comes days after NLRB nixes similar policy at UAW

ternational Brotherhood of Electrical Workers members stand side the capitol in Lansing, Friday, Dec. 7, 2012 / AP

BY: Bill McMorris
April 8, 2015 5:00 am

A Michigan electrical worker filed formal labor charges against a major union because of onerous withdrawal procedures implemented in response to the passage of right to work laws.

Ryan Greene, a worker at Croswell-based Paramount Industries, said in a complaint filed with the National Labor Relations Board that IBEW Local 58 violated his rights as a worker because it requires him to present photo identification in order to withdraw from the union and cease paying union dues.

“These and related acts and omissions violate the [National Labor Relations Act], and threaten, restrain, coerce and discriminate against all of the employees in all bargaining units represented by Respondent Union in the exercise of their section 7 rights to refrain from collective activity,” the complaint says.

IBEW Local 58 represents about 4,500 electrical workers in the greater Detroit area and collects about $9.7 million per year in dues. The union adopted new withdrawal procedures in October 2014, a year after Michigan became the 24th right to work state in the country.

“Any member that desires to opt out of membership or dues deduction must do so in person at the Union Hall of IBEW Local 58 and show picture identification with a corresponding written request specifically indicating the intent of the member,” the policy says.

IBEW did not respond to requests for comment.

Right to work ends coercive union dues by giving employees the right to cease dues payments and withdraw from union. That could mean bad news for labor unions, which rely on dues payments to operate and develop negotiating leverage. Local 58 developed the photo ID requirement in order to avoid fraud, according to documents obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.

However, Greene said the union has kept the withdrawal system under wraps, misleading employees about their ability to opt out of membership. He is now being forced to remain in the union, rather than exercise his rights to sever ties with IBEW.
“Charging Party was never informed of this policy and just learned of it when it was disclosed as part of an arbitration the Union is holding to force him to continue being a member and pay union dues as a condition of employment,” the complaint says.

IBEW is not the only Michigan union that has come under fire for its photo identification policy: UAW Local 600 is in the process of settling a similar complaint with the NLRB

Despite the fact that the union has declared Voter ID laws onerous and burdensome, the massive Dearborn-based union also required photo identification from members looking to pull away. Thesettlement obtained by the Washington Free Beacon says that the union will “rescind [its] policy” of making members “appear in person at our Local office and present proper identification.”

The case reached the NLRB after autoworker Kathileen Sulkowski complained that the photo ID policy unfairly forced her into the union. UAW Local 600, which did not respond to an email seeking comment, plans to “make whole Kathileen Sulkowski, and any other similarly affected employees, for any financial loss, as a result of our restriction.”

Under the terms of the settlement, the union must post signs around its offices informing employees of their right to withdraw.

“WE WILL NOT do anything to prevent you from exercising the above rights,” the sign will say. “WE WILL NOT in any like or related manner restrain or coerce you.”

Greene may have a good case against IBEW because of the additional barriers to cutting union ties, according to an attorney familiar with the withdrawal process. The attorney spoke to the Washington Free Beacon on condition of anonymity because the cases are ongoing.

“IBEW goes even further than UAW. Not only do you have to show up with ID to resign, but also to sign the dues deduction form,” the attorney said.

http://freebeacon.com/issues/mi-unio...right-to-work/

From The IBEW website. Voting without an ID is GOOD for them, withdrawing from the Union without an ID is BAD for them...
Voter ID By Senator Vinehout

Posted On: Aug 03, 2011
Voting? Remember the ID is FREE
“Can they charge for an ID to vote?” a woman asked. “No,” I said. “The ID must be free.”

As I visit with folks at community festivals and county fairs, they are asking a lot of questions about Wisconsin’s new voter ID law: Do I need some kind of special ID to vote? Where do I get the ID? When do I have to use the ID?

Wisconsin’s new Voter ID law is the strictest in the nation. Beginning in January 2012, voters will need a photo identification card with current address, name and a photo that reasonably resembles the voter.

Under the law only 7 types of ID would be acceptable to allow a citizen to vote. Two are state-issue driver’s license or ID card. The others include a passport, military or tribal ID, naturalization papers or a college ID updated every two years. Currently no Wisconsin college offers students a new ID every two years.

The most common acceptable form of identification is a state-issued ID or a driver’s license. Both are available at state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or driver’s license centers.

People were concerned about the lack of a local driver’s license center in some counties and the limited hours available in other counties. For example, Buffalo County has no center and the center in Pepin is only open 39 hours a year.

This lack of access creates a potential constitutional challenge for the new photo identification law.

People are also confused about whether they need to pay for the ID card. Officials at DMV centers were not informing applicants that a voter ID should by law be free. To clear up the confusion, I joined other legislators to introduce a bill requiring officials to inform citizens applying for a card that voter IDs are free.

Courts stuck down laws that charge voters for an ID to vote or charge them for any supplemental document needed to get that ID (like a birth certificate).

Courts also considered time, transportation and advance planning necessary to get the ID. This means an unconstitutional burden is placed on people if they have to pay for an ID or a birth certificate to get the ID; if it takes a long time to get to a DMV center, or if they must do advance planning to arrange to get an ID.

The state cannot impinge on your right to vote.

I argued during debate on the voter bill that lack of DMV centers in rural areas creates an unfair burden on rural folks.

In an effort to avoid a constitutional challenge, the state budget included a requirement that every county have a DMV office open at least 20 hours a week. Currently only 30 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties meet that requirement. To comply with the new law, state officials are shuffling around DMV centers.

The shuffling of centers will cause some to close and others to expand. Although the plan is not final, officials announced they will close as many as 16 offices including Stanley & Abbotsford. Nine new centers will open including Alma and a center in southern Eau Claire County.

All of this comes at a cost to taxpayers: roughly $15 million and 60 new state jobs.

The upcoming recall elections are the first time Wisconsin voters will be asked for an ID but they are NOT required to have one. The ID requirement goes into effect for elections after January 2012. But new rules are in effect that change residency and absentee voting.

There are no recall elections in the 31st State Senate District this month. Voters in six Senate Districts will go to the polls on August 9th. Voters living in the northeast and the Kenosha area will go to the polls on August 16th.

As you talk with friends and family to remind them to vote, be sure and tell them they DO NOT need a new ID to vote this summer.

Everyone WILL need an accurate, current ID for 2012. So you and others may end up taking a trip to the local DMV center. If you do – remember – the ID is FREE!

(If you know someone who would like to be added to Kathleen's Column Distribution List, please let us know)

http://www.ibew14.net/index.cfm?zone=/unionactive/view_article.cfm&HomeID=213412&page=News

1. Kathleen Vinehout
2. Kathleen Vinehout is a Democratic member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 31st district since 2007. She was a candidate for Governor of Wisconsin in the recall election against Scott Walker.Wikipedia
3. Born: June 16, 1958 (age 56), Albany, NY
4. Party: Democratic Party
5. Education: Lincoln Land Community College, More