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A group of Michigan security guards employed by Triple Canopy, Inc. has voted to remove the power of United Government Security Officers of America (UGSOA) union officials to mandate union dues as a condition of employment. The vote, known as a "deauthorization" election, took place by mail in April and May, but the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) only recently released the full vote count.
James Reamsma, one of the guards, submitted the deauthorization petition in February on behalf of his coworkers. He is receiving legal aid from the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation. This action was prompted by Michigan's repeal of its decade-old Right to Work law in February. Under this law, union financial support was voluntary. With its repeal, workers must either deauthorize a union or decertify it completely to end forced-dues requirements.
The NLRB scheduled the mail vote with ballots due in mid-May. However, the results were delayed for months before being fully released recently. Once certified, UGSOA officials will no longer have the legal authority to require Reamsma and his colleagues to pay dues or fees as an employment condition.
