Kaiser Permanente worker files federal charge against SEIU over alleged illegal dues demands

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William L. Messenger Vice President and Legal Director (2023-Present) | NRTWLD&EF, Inc

By Sky Industry News

Oct 21, 2024

Nadine Reyes, an employee at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Los Angeles, has lodged federal charges against the Service Employees International Union – United Healthcare Workers (SEIU-UHW). The charges stem from allegations that union officials falsely asserted that full union membership was a mandatory condition of her employment. Additionally, Reyes claims she was threatened with termination if she did not sign membership and dues deduction cards. She is receiving legal assistance from the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation.

The law prohibits requiring full union membership as a condition for employment, a practice known as a "closed shop" arrangement. However, employees may be asked to sign dues deduction cards authorizing the collection of union dues directly from their paychecks.

Reyes stated, "SEIU bosses attempted to take advantage of me and threatened me, assuming I didn’t know my rights or wouldn’t stand up for myself. But I knew what they were doing was wrong, and I’m standing up for myself against their bullying."

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In California and other states without Right to Work laws, unions must meet specific requirements to justify forced union fees required for employment. The Communications Workers of America v. Beck Supreme Court decision limits what non-union members can be charged for; fees cannot cover political or lobbying activities unrelated to collective bargaining.

Nonmember employees who assert their Beck rights are entitled to an independent audit of the union’s finances and a detailed explanation of how mandatory fee amounts are calculated.

Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Foundation, commented on the situation: “Nadine Reyes is just the latest victim of SEIU threats, and another example of union officials prioritizing their own greed and power over the rights of those they claim to ‘represent.’ Cases like this show why California workers need Right to Work protections so Big Labor bosses are required to earn the voluntary support of rank-and-file employees.”