This spring, Washington’s Outreach team launched a brand-new opt-out campaign intended to inform government union members about a second opt-out window that only opens when a labor contract expires.
On June 30, nearly every collective bargaining agreement with the state of Washington expired, opening up this second opt-out window.
Thanks to this unique outreach approach, a University of Washington employee, Lilia, reached out, frustrated that her union, SEIU 925, wasn’t going to stop her dues deductions until November, when her “window” opened.
What union officials deliberately neglected to share was that she had a second window that opened in mid-May.
The irony is that they sent their response two days before the window opened.
As the story unfolded, the Freedom Foundation learned she had opted out with a group of co-workers and found she was the only one who apparently had a window.
Everyone else allegedly successfully opted out of dues with no pushback from the union.
We spoke with her co-worker and advocate, who gave more insight into the situation. “Several of us had been fighting with the union over a grievance,” she said, “and after it went nowhere, we all decided to cancel our memberships. Lilia wasn’t involved but was ready to cancel and join us. We think they just let us out with no question because they wanted us to go away.”
This account revealed yet another layer of inconsistency that works against workers hoping to exercise their right to cancel union dues. Luckily, our brave heroine kept great records and was willing to take the extra steps necessary to push back against the union.
After all, she had the facts, and those facts were clear. The union messed up.
Just one day before Independence Day, Lilia received some exciting news. Thanks to the Freedom Foundation’s incredible legal team and a well-crafted letter of demand from Attorney James Abernathy, SEIU 925 immediately stopped the dues deductions and will return a month’s worth of back dues.
“What great news and a huge relief! Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for me!” Lilia exclaimed. “It’s a very fitting day to be independent from the union,” she added, recognizing the significance of her newfound freedom.
Lilia’s success is a powerful reminder that even when the union doesn’t make it easy, workers can still stand up for their rights. Thanks to her diligence and the unwavering support of the Freedom Foundation’s legal team, she was able to break free from unfair dues deductions.
This victory is another example of how workers, armed with the right knowledge and assistance, can challenge union practices and secure their independence.
Lilia’s story is proof that no matter how complex the system may seem, workers can always push back and win when they have the facts on their side.
