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Patricia Whittaker, a 911 operator in Chicago, has successfully halted union dues payments to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 21. This follows her legal battle with support from the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, after she was allegedly misled about her rights by union officials. Whittaker filed charges with the Illinois Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) to assert her rights under the Janus v. AFSCME Supreme Court decision.
The Janus ruling asserts that public sector employees cannot be compelled to pay union dues without their consent. Despite this, Whittaker's attempts to stop deductions were obstructed by a cycle where both union officials and her employer directed her to each other, resulting in unauthorized deductions for over ten months.
Whittaker's charges indicate that IBEW Local 21 attempted to present themselves positively by reimbursing deducted dues while still collecting them. This action was perceived as an attempt to appease Whittaker while trying to retain her as a member.
