11/21/13 - An unfair labor practice charge filed by a Pinckney special needs teaching assistant who says she was prevented from exercising her to right to leave the stateâs largest teachers union is now a formal complaint. The National Right to Work Foundation filed a state charge on behalf of Linda Evon with the Michigan Employment Relations Commission in Detroit. It has now issued a complaint against the MEA, which will be formally heard. NRTW Foundation Spokesman Anthony Reidel tells WHMI all sides will get a chance to present their respective arguments and the MERC will make a decision accordingly. He adds that there are various cases pending that involve public employees and deal with enforcement of Michiganâs Right to Work law. The MERC has filed a separate complaint against Teamsters Local 214 after a charge was filed by Livingston Educational Service Agency bus driver Pauline Beutler of Howell, which is expected to be heard in February. MEA Spokesman Thomas Morgan has told WHMI that unionâs resignation process has been in place since 1973, and the new right-to-work legislation does not affect membership agreements or bylaws. He has also said that only about 1% of MEA members have left the union since the law passed, and none of them have faced threats of disciplinary action. (JM)
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