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In Cincinnati, James Carroll, a Kroger employee, has won a federal case against United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 75 and Kroger after he challenged the deduction of union dues from his paycheck. Carroll argued that both the union and his employer unlawfully deducted dues and threatened him with termination for not signing what he described as an illegal dues deduction form.
Carroll received legal support from the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation. He filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Region 9 in Cincinnati. The case revealed that UFCW was using a "dual-purpose" membership form that combined union membership and dues authorization in one signature. Supreme Court precedents require that authorizations for union dues deductions must be voluntary and separate from any membership agreements.
To resolve the matter without further legal action, Kroger and UFCW agreed to reimburse Carroll for the deducted dues. They also committed to publicly posting a notice to inform other employees of their rights regarding union payments.
