"The teachers' testimony exposed the harassment that many employees face every day when laboring under compulsory unionism," said Mark Mix, Executive Vice President of the National Right to Work Committee. "The only way to help workers suffering under compulsory unionism is to make union membership 100 percent voluntary."
The Subcommittee hearings come on the heels of a nationally publicized determination by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) that the NEA union is systematically discriminating against religious objectors by stonewalling objections. The teacher union forces objectors to undergo extensive interrogation on an annual basis before honoring their right to divert dues away from union officials on the basis of their religious beliefs.
Dennis Robey, an Ohio teacher, brought charges against the NEA and its local affiliates after they refused to honor his religious objection to supporting the union because it promotes pro-abortion, pro-homosexuality positions and constantly attempts to interfere with parental rights.
Kathleen Klamut, a practicing Christian, objects to having her money used to support the union's pro-abortion agenda. Last Fall, when she began working as a psychologist in the Ravenna City Schools, Klamut asked to have her dues re-directed to charity ? her right under the law. When the NEA's local affiliate refused to accommodate her, Klamut contacted the National Right to Work Foundation and filed charges with the EEOC against the teacher union. Since then Klamut has been informed that the union hierarchy is planning to take legal action against her.
"Unfortunately, these are not isolated incidents. Employees across the country, regardless of their faith, are being shaken down to pay for this radical agenda," stated Mix. "If Congress wants to solve this problem, they must pass legislation that ends compulsory unionism."
Congress has a bill before it, the National Right to Work Act (H.R.
1109), that would eliminate the federal authorization for forced union
dues affecting 7.8 million workers across the country. The National Right
to Work Act enjoys support from nearly 80 percent of the American public
and a majority of the members of the full House Education and Workforce
Committee chaired by Congressman John Boehner. At the moment, Chairman
Boehner has yet to schedule a hearing or a vote on the bill. [NRTWC, 6/26/02]
Union Corruption Update is made possible by the generous contributions from readers like you. NLPC, PO Box 6821, Falls Church, VA 22040. Thank you. Union Corruption Update is part of NLPC's Organized Labor Accountability Project which is investigating and exposing corruption in the Teamsters, LIUNA, AFL-CIO and many other union organizations. NLPC is a nonpartisan, nonprofit foundation promoting ethics and accountability in government through research, education and legal action.
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