Union: No Photo Needed to Vote, but Bring ID If You Want to Leave the Union

Michigan Capitol Confidential ^ | 4/18/2015 | Tom Gantert

[MichCapCon]

In April of 2012, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) condemned laws requiring an individual to have a photo identification to vote in local, state and federal elections.

“Eleven percent, or over 21 million, of American citizens do not possess a government-issued photo ID,” an IBEW article stated when discussing the argument that photo ID laws suppress voting.

The union pointed the finger at “the ultraright” for pushing for photo identification as a requirement to vote.

However, the same union has no problem demanding a photo ID for something as simple as a member wanting to leave it.

Ryan Greene, who works for Paramount Industries in Croswell in Sanilac County, filed an unfair labor practices complaint on April 2 with the National Labor Relations Board because an IBEW local requires him to present photo identification in order to exercise his right under Michigan's right-to-work law to quit the union. The charges were reported by the Washington Free Beacon.

The complaint states that on Oct. 1, 2014, IBEW Local 58 issued a new policy mandating that all members who want to leave the union must appear in person at the IBEW Local 58 office and show a picture ID. The office is 82 miles from the Croswell plant where Greene works.

Andy Dunbar, president of the IBEW Local 58 didn’t return an email seeking comment.

Patrick Wright, senior legal analyst for the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, called the conflicting messages by the union “rank hypocrisy” and said it was just another example of a union trying to hold on to its power.

IBEW is not the only union to come out against photo IDs as a requirement to vote and then demand them of members wanting to leave the union.

The UAW Local 600 union, which represents truck drivers and other private sector workers, was also the subject of an NLRB complaint filed in October 2014. That complaint alleged the union was requiring individuals who want to leave to do so in person, accompanied by a photo ID.

[Pollster1]

“Eleven percent, or over 21 million, of American citizens do not possess a government-issued photo ID,”

How many of those claimed 21 million are old enough to vote?

[Blood of Tyrants]

How many are illegal aliens or felons?

[B212]

appears to be no problem(s) with photo ID driver’s license...

[rockrr]

The solution for Mr. Greene and others is to respectfully inform the union of your intentions and then stop paying dues. They'll squawk about it and ultimately drop you from the rolls.

[lepton]

Assuming they can stop the deductions. That’s part of the problem in some states/areas...the Union directs the deductions.

Heck in some places, unions still lay taxes upon people that aren’t even members.

[rockrr]

Good point. When I quit we didn’t ave payroll deduction.

[bolobaby]

Yeah, good luck stopping your due payments. I’ve read stories where, even when there is no auto-deduct, Unions will report you to a credit bureau and ruin your credit if you stop paying dues.

Unions are a scam. When I was a lot younger, I decided to work a summer job packing trucks at UPS. In order to get a job there, you *had* to join the teamsters union. Here’s the best part: they front-loaded a whole year’s worth of union dues into, like, your first 4 paychecks. They knew full when that the truck loaders had very high turnover rates. So, every couple of months, they got another YEAR’S worth of dues from the fresh batch of truck loaders that came through.

There was, of course, no way to get reimbursed for the dues already paid.

[Robert A Cook PE]

When “you” have to show up in person (at the union hall, in front of the union hall “personnel management consultant and counseling team” of paid professional union members) then YOU are the one THEY are able, willing, and “justified” in personally counseling you on the wisdom of staying in the union!

Of course, you may need a hospital stay after being counseled, but ...

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Racist union.

[terycarl]

every union member should realize that he may demand, and will get, any portion of his dues that were used for political purposes. I was in a union when employed by the Indiana dept. of corrections and even though I was on the joint council of the union, I demanded just that and after a very little friction, I was indeed refunded a fair amount of money.