LETTERS: Fired for simply supporting the union (NLRB agrees)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2007/Mar-15-Thu-2007/opinion/13130667.html

Mar. 15, 2007
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

LETTERS: Fired for simply supporting the union

To the editor:

Your March 7 article, "Labor leaders push bill in Las Vegas," includes a statement from U-Haul claiming that they didn't fire me or my co-workers for our union activity. This is wrong. The National Labor Relations Board found U-Haul guilty of breaking the law more than 100 times, including when it fired me and 41 of my co-workers.

Here's what happened:

In 2003, I joined with my co-workers at U-Haul in Las Vegas to form a union to improve our wages and overall workplace conditions. U-Haul did everything it could to scare us into not voting for the union. It held meetings, telling us that we'd lose our benefits if we voted for the union. U-Haul threatened to shut the plant and move. It continued to fire workers who supported the union. Despite all this, when union election day came, the majority of us stood up to U-Haul and voted in favor of the union.

But victory was short-lived. U-Haul contested the election and continued to fight us. Throughout this ordeal, more than 40 union supporters were fired -- including me.

I haven't had a steady job since being fired in 2003. For awhile, my wife took a second job, but my firing has ruined us financially. We lost our home and had to move into a smaller apartment.

Forming a union shouldn't be this hard. Workers like myself shouldn't be punished for simply trying to come together to bargain for a better life.

don collette

[ChoralScholar]

1. When this goes to court

there will be a landmark case cited:

Rickman and NLRB v. Woodline Motor Freight

Let's just say I'm very close to this case. It was fought in court from 1980 to 1994, but justice was served to the anti-unioners. The plaintiff was paid a great sum in backpay - so take heart - it will turn out ok.

PM me if you want to know more.