Michigan security guards vote against forced-dues power amid ongoing legal battles

Reamsma highlighted past threats from UGSOA officials who allegedly warned that non-union members could be fired. He noted that many guards are retired police officers or military personnel working part-time across Michigan without being compelled to join a union when Right to Work was active.

Alongside the deauthorization petition, Reamsma filed unfair labor practice charges against UGSOA for illegal dues demands. These charges assert violations of rights under the CWA v. Beck Supreme Court decision by not providing a breakdown of how dues were calculated and attempting automatic paycheck deductions without consent. The charges are still pending with the NLRB.

Despite significant support for Right to Work among Michiganders, including those in union households, forced-dues powers were reinstated for Michigan unions in 2023. As a result, Foundation attorneys handled more cases for Michigan workers in 2024 than in 2023, including several deauthorization cases.

Workers can only end forced-dues demands through majority votes against them or by voting out unions entirely. However, NLRB rules limit decertification votes during existing contracts up to three years, leading some workers like Reamsma's group to use deauthorization as leverage against unions.

National Right to Work Foundation President Mark Mix commented on Reamsma's case: “Mr. Reamsma’s situation shows the kind of greedy gamesmanship union officials can engage in without Right to Work.” He emphasized that these challenges underscore why repealing Michigan’s Right to Work law was problematic.