Just Vote Newsletter No. 28

May 5, 2008

Just a brief update on our struggle to hold the union accountable. Lucky for you, you need not struggle to receive back money from the union. Send an objection letter (see http://www.justvoteuc.org/objectionletter.html) and you also can get back your fair share of union fees. Don't send one if you have already done so for the coming objection period (July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009), if you are unsure, let me know and I will confirm that I have your letter.

We can vote out UPTE but it will take several hundred more petitions (download this at http://www.justvoteuc.org/DecertificationPetion.html) to hold a vote. My friends and I have made hundreds of phone calls so please follow through if you want to vote UPTE out (RX unit, research workers and museum scientists only). If we cannot gather enough petitions this year, we will have to wait until the expiration of the next union contract to mount another petition drive. This may be 3 or 4 years from now so if you do not want to continue to have your money taken by the union, sign and send the petition.

I believe that UPTE is not eager to defend its practices, either in an arbitration hearing (the lowest form of justice) or in Federal court. Over 1,000 people objected for the 2007/2008 period, union members continue to quit and object during this objection period. We all look forward to presenting our case. I intend to seek justice wherever I can find it and you can too. I may have more to say about this later.

Finally, I'm very heartened by all of you who spread the word about this fight to your coworkers. Thanks to you, we have been able to educate many new UC employees about their right to get back the money that the union spends for its own ideological and political interests. I appreciate your help.

Werner