Lockheed Martin Employee Files Civil Rights Lawsuit Against Machinists Union

NRTW ^ | 10.30.2001 | NRTW

[havoc1us]

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                October 30, 2001
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       LOCKHEED MARTIN EMPLOYEE FILES CIVIL 
     RIGHTS LAWSUIT AGAINST MACHINISTS UNION 
  EEOC found that union officials illegally coerced 
        conscientious religious objector 
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       http://www.nrtw.org/b/nr.php3?id=56
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ORLANDO, Fla. (October 30, 2001) - After a federal 
agency ruled in his favor, a Lockheed Martin employee 
today filed suit against International Association of 
Machinists (IAM) union officials, who threatened to 
have him fired from his job for exercising his right 
to refrain from supporting the union on religious 
grounds. 

With the help of National Right to Work Foundation 
attorneys, Robert Beers, who works in astronautics 
operations at Lockheed Martin's Cape Canaveral Air 
Force Station facility, filed the civil rights lawsuit 
in the United States District Court for the Middle 
District of Florida against IAM Local 610. 

"Machinists union bosses are arrogantly refusing to 
halt their harassment of this sincere conscientious 
objector," said Stefan Gleason, Vice President of the 
National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation. 

Beers' sincerely held religious beliefs prevented him 
from supporting the union's militant ideological 
agenda, particularly its support for abortion and 
homosexuality, which he believes are forbidden by the 
Bible. He asserted his right as a religious objector 
under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to 
refrain from union activities and withhold the payment 
of union dues, offering instead to send his union dues 
to a mutually agreed-upon charity. 

Union officials refused his request and wrote Beers 
they would have him fired from his job. 

Beers filed religious discrimination charges against 
the union in the fall of 2000 with the Equal 
Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC 
found in his favor and attempted to persuade the 
union's officials to agree to a settlement. However, 
IAM Local 610's lawyers thumbed their noses at the 
EEOC offer and continued to oppose Beers' religious 
objection, forcing him to file suit in federal court. 

Even though Florida has a Right to Work law allowing 
employees to cut off dues payments to unwanted unions, 
Cape Canaveral is considered a "federal enclave" 
subject to provisions in federal labor law granting 
union officials the power to collect union dues from 
non-religious objectors as a job condition. 

Foundation attorneys are seeking a permanent 
injunction forcing IAM Local 610 officials to honor 
Beers' religious objection and inform all bargaining 
unit employees of their right to divert forced union 
dues to a charity if their religious convictions 
prevent them from supporting the union. Beers is also 
asking for the return of illegally seized union dues, 
punitive and compensatory damages, and attorneys' 
fees. 

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   National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation
     8001 Braddock Road | Springfield, VA 22160
        http://www.nrtw.org | (800) 336-3600
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The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation is 
a nonprofit, charitable organization providing free 
legal aid to employees whose human or civil rights 
have been violated by compulsory unionism abuses. The 
Foundation, which can be contacted toll-free at 
1-800-336-3600, is assisting thousands of employees 
in over 500 cases nationwide. Its web address is:
http://www.nrtw.org/
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(C)2001, NRTWLDF 

[havoc1us]

ftu

[gcruse]

Willie Green won't post this stuff. He's more into layoffs, you know.

[BADROTOFINGER]

I hope he creams those union guys...JFK

[phredbob]

Awesome post, I'll send this link to the "Dues Objectors" who are represented by the IAM at my place of employment, fortunately I'm not represented by those nuts and fruits.