Fred Meyer employee files federal charge against UFCW over alleged illegal strike fine

Federal law states that if an employee is not a voluntary member of a union, they cannot be legally subjected to internal union discipline like fines. While UFCW officials quickly dropped illegal disciplinary actions in Schaffer's case after her charges were filed in November, other cases remain unresolved.

In previous incidents involving UFCW-instigated strikes, workers faced similar fines that could only be contested within internal union courts. In Denver in 2022, King Soopers workers were fined amounts exceeding their daily earnings during a strike. These fines were eventually rescinded following successful legal challenges by Foundation attorneys.

Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation said: “UFCW union officials are again displaying their penchant for using strikes to consolidate power by threatening rank-and-file workers who exercise their legally-protected right to work despite a union boss-ordered strike.” He added that "workers have a clear legal right to resign from union membership and return to work without facing illegal fines or disciplinary actions," assuring support for other Fred Meyer employees facing similar situations.