James Reamsma and his fellow security guards have successfully ended the requirement to pay union dues to UGSOA union bosses, following a lengthy legal battle. This case is part of a growing trend in Michigan where employees seek assistance from the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation to combat forced-dues demands after the repeal of the state’s Right to Work law.
In Grand Rapids, Michigan, Reamsma and his colleagues at Triple Canopy Inc. organized a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) “deauthorization election” with the help of Foundation legal aid. This move was aimed at removing United Government Security Officers of America (UGSOA) Local 288 union officials’ authority to mandate financial support for the union.
The workers voted overwhelmingly against forced union dues, but certification of the results was delayed by union lawyers until October. Once finalized, this allowed the security guards to stop all union dues payments. Subsequently, UGSOA bosses decided to end their representation at Triple Canopy, freeing the guards from both forced dues and unwanted union representation.
Reamsma highlighted past threats from UGSOA officials who allegedly warned that non-union members could be fired. He noted that many guards are retired police officers or military personnel working part-time across Michigan without being compelled to join a union when Right to Work was active.
Alongside the deauthorization petition, Reamsma filed unfair labor practice charges against UGSOA for illegal dues demands. These charges assert violations of rights under the CWA v. Beck Supreme Court decision by not providing a breakdown of how dues were calculated and attempting automatic paycheck deductions without consent. The charges are still pending with the NLRB.
Despite significant support for Right to Work among Michiganders, including those in union households, forced-dues powers were reinstated for Michigan unions in 2023. As a result, Foundation attorneys handled more cases for Michigan workers in 2024 than in 2023, including several deauthorization cases.
Workers can only end forced-dues demands through majority votes against them or by voting out unions entirely. However, NLRB rules limit decertification votes during existing contracts up to three years, leading some workers like Reamsma’s group to use deauthorization as leverage against unions.
National Right to Work Foundation President Mark Mix commented on Reamsma’s case: “Mr. Reamsma’s situation shows the kind of greedy gamesmanship union officials can engage in without Right to Work.” He emphasized that these challenges underscore why repealing Michigan’s Right to Work law was problematic.
