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Reegin Schaffer, an employee at Fred Meyer in the Portland area, has won her dispute with the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) Local 555. Schaffer had filed charges against the union, claiming that officials violated federal law by ignoring her requests to resign from union membership during a strike and unlawfully retaliating against her by attempting to fine her for choosing to work. She received free legal assistance from attorneys at the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation.
The actions of these attorneys led UFCW Local 555 to drop its internal disciplinary proceedings against Schaffer. These proceedings could have resulted in fines after she resigned from the union and returned to work.
Schaffer, along with co-worker Coyesca Vasquez, filed charges with Region 19 of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which enforces private sector labor relations laws in the U.S. According to the charges, on August 30, 2024, both employees exercised their right to resign from union membership and return to work. However, on September 24 and October 14 respectively, UFCW officials informed Vasquez and Schaffer that internal proceedings had been initiated against them.
