Court strikes down UAW union dues policy

A National Labor Relations Board administrative law judge has heeded a Colt Manufacturing employee's request to strike down a nationwide union policy intended to stonewall employees from obtaining a reduction of their forced union dues.

With free legal aid from the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, George Gally, a nearly 50-year veteran Colt employee, originally filed unfair labor practice charges with the NLRB in March 2003. Gally challenged the United Auto Worker union's nationwide dues policy, which forced non-union members to object annually if they did not want to fund union political and other non-bargaining activities.

The ruling requires the UAW union to "cease and desist" from requiring employees to object annually, as well as notify all non-member employees across America that it will not subject them to this burdensome process. 

In the foundation-won U.S. Supreme Court CWA v. Beck decision, the court affirmed that workers have the right to refrain from formal union membership, but can still be forced to pay a reduced fee for union monopoly bargaining in their workplaces. UAW officials have tried to hinder employees from getting their dues reduction by requiring them to renew their objections every year.

In issuing the ruling, the judge said, "Further, the [union] respondents do not require yearly renewals of union membership cards, dues authorization check-off cards or notice of resignation from the union.  Yearly renewals are only required of Beck objectors, and the respondents have not satisfactorily explained this inconsistency."