Amber Walker, UC Irvine Employee, Wins Settlement over Unconstitutional Union Dues Seizures

UC Irvine Union Bosses unconstitutionally required Lab Assistant Amber Walker to pay union fees and dues. When requesting to opt out of the University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE) union, union bosses refused to let her resign and stop confiscating part of her wages. Union officials demanded she present photo ID in order to be granted the right to keep her own hard-earned money. And to make matters worse, she had to do so within a narrow period of time often referred to as an “escape window”.

This action violates the 2018 Janus v. AFSCME Supreme Court ruling won by the  National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation and Foundations stepped in to help Amber and so other UC employees will not be bullied by union bosses.

The Foundation won the lawsuit, and as a result, union officials must now hand Amber and many other employees their money back.

From the California Globe:

By the time UPTE officials had informed Walker that her request to cut off dues was rejected for lack of photo ID, the “window period” enforced by union officials had already elapsed, NRTW explained. Had Walker not filed a lawsuit with NRTW Foundation legal aid, UPTE officials likely would have continued siphoning money from her paycheck for another year until the arrival of the next “window period.”

Katy Grimes, California Globe

If you have questions about whether union officials are violating your rights, contact the Foundation for free help. To take action by supporting The National Right to Work Committee and fueling the fight against Forced Unionism, click here to donate now.