The owners of Krogers are operating illegally.
I was under the same impression, but she lives in a right to work state and the company told her that the union is considered the bargaining group for all NON-management personnel and they are bound by law to follow all the rules that the union sets forth.
I told her to look into it further, but she said she and the payroll lady had a deal - she filled out several of the “Dues Return Request” sheets and each payday the payroll clerk just dates one and puts it into the payroll stack (payroll clerk isn’t union either)!
More than one way to de-fur a feline!