UGSOA is Losing Members by The Hundreds - 387 in Less Then 2 Months
What's going on at UGSOA ? It seems President Jim Vissar is once again trying to deceive the members into thinking that the UGSOA International union is financially sound, when it reported Total Net Assets of Just $56,969 dollars or .17 cents per member. This Financially Broke Storefront Union is in Serious Trouble.
Welcome brother and sisters. This message is intended to inform the members of UGSOA on what's really happening behind the scenes at UGSOA.
The Horror Stories your about to view on UGSOA have been found on the internet.
Many of these Horror Stories have been written by present and former members of UGSOA who are disatisfied with the lack of representation by Jim Vissar and his organization!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
My name is Challis Smith and I formerly worked for Special Operations Group in Charleston WV under contract with DHS. I was a member of UGSOA. I was unjustly terminated on Sept. 17, 2003. After months of stalling and lies by Jim Carney and Ron Smith, VPs for UGSOA, my case was finally arbitrated 1 year later. I won my arbitration and was ordered reinstated and to be made whole on Dec. 8, 2004. However, UGSOA refused to enforce the arbitrator's decision and I was forced to file charges with the NLRB. Now, 2 yrs later, the NLRB Office of Hearings and Appeals ruled in my favor stating that UGSOA was in violation of the NLRA. Since that time my 75 security officers / former workers had UGSOA decertified and are now members of SPFPA. Anyone who wishes to contact me may do so at
challiss@kvinet.com __________________________________________
Vermont was the first Union in the second circuit to affilate with the UGSOA, and the first Union to Disaffiliate with the UGSOA !
DEAR UGSOA MEMBERS and SECURITY OFFICERS WHO ARE THINKING ABOUT JOINING UGSOA.
My name is George Mulligan I am a CSO in Vermont and the Former President of the UGSOA. I am writing to you about our experience with the UGSOA. Vermont was the first Union in the second circuit to affilate with the UGSOA, and the first Union to Disaffiliate with the UGSOA !
The members in vermont felt we were not being served by the UGSOA and Jim Vissar UGSOA President. When we called we were put off or received no response at all. Jim Vissar was never there to answer our questions even when we requested in writing to do so !
When we asked President Vissar to come to Vermont to answer our concerns there was always a reason why they could not come. There are still bitter feelings in Vermont about the UGSOA and their lack of leadership. In closing, I would urge every UGSOA Member to GET RID OF THE DO NOTHING UGSOA and if that don't work then STOP PAYING DUES TO UGSOA for a service they do NOT provide !
__________________________________________
This UGSOA has violated employee rights at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.() They use the company, as well as themselves to force a union we never wanted or even voted for. They also threatened us with our employment. Michael Hough is the local 52 President and on the cimpanies side. Thanks to UGSOA, instead of getting $17.50/hr for training, we only get $6.75/hr. Where is the representation for our forced union dues? If anyone could help us with more info, then please contact me. My name is Michael Moulton and cell# is (619)227-6803. This UGSOA is one big joke. Other unions should be ashamed if they do not out against them.
__________________________________________
We Were Sold-Out by UGSOA and Now We are Stopping the Dues !
I am a former UGSOA Local 52 member-()-To give you an idea--the Local President back in Oct., 2003 said that he had to invoke the "EMERGENCY RATIFICATION" Clause from the International Constitution--well so far I have requested for that same said Constitution and they are giving me the run around--I have personnally looked at a copy of it and went through it--and guess what can not be found--you guessed it--that same Clause--so I sent a letter to the UGSOA International asking where this "Emergency Ratification" Clause is located--this letter was sent e17th Jan., 2004--as of date no answer--I also sent emails (3 times requested)-- to the Local 52 President and to this date--I have not received any answer--what do they have to hide--except that the International is corrupt (Mafia ties) and can not be trusted--what have they done for us--except take our hard earned money--do you know that the 2002 Expenditure report for the International is off by $41,500 but they do not memtioned where it is--miling the books--
__________________________________________
26 Ithaca College Patrol Oficers Admit We Made a Mistake by Voting for UGSOA !
On Dec 19th 2003 the security patrol officers of Ithaca College voted to unionize with UGSOA after they made many FALSE PROMISES to us all.()
Since that time UGSOA has not even returned one phone call from us. They Lied To Us all !
After Reading and Talking to many UGSOA members we now find out UGSOA members all across the country are trying to decertifiy UGSOA and/or STOPPING THE DUES PAYMENTS to them. Many members complain about the lack of service and the big financial problems UGSOA is facing.
WE MADE A BIG MISTAKE by voting for UGSOA
WE WANT OUT OF UGSOA NOW !
__________________________________________
UGSOA is Losing Members by The Hundreds
11/21/06 - 110 Local 38 Wackenhut Officers in
OREGON DUMP UGSOA For SPFPA!
UGSOA Received Only 1 Vote!
__________________________________
10/21/05 - 162 ALUTIIQ, MELE Officers in MIAMI VOTED TO DUMP UGSOA FOR SPFPA !
10/21/05 - 65 - SSA SECURITY INC Officers in MIAMI VOTED TO DUMP UGSOA FOR SPFPA !
UGSOA Received only 6 Votes out of 227
__________________________________
10/21/05 - 12/16/05 - TOTAL LOSS OF UGSOA MEMBERS = 387
You May Visit The SPFPA Site at: www.SPFPA.ORG
__________________________________________
UGSOA LOCAL 38 / 204 OFFICERS WORKING FOR HWA FILE A
DECERT TO DUMP UGSOA FOR SPFPA!
These Officers Work at the Following Dams
McNary Dam, UUmattilla, OR
Lower Granite Lock and Dam
Lower Monumental Dam
Snake River Dams
Ice Harbor Dam
Hydro Elec. Plants in OR & WA
_________________________________________
UGSOA LOCAL 246 SECURITY OFFICER WORKING FOR SOUTHWESTERN SECURITY SERVICES INC FILE A DECERT TO DUMP UGSOA FOR SPFPA!
The Locations of These Units are in Northern Louisiana , Tallulah, Deridder, Leesville, Natchitoches,Louisiana, Mindin, Texas and Mt. Pleasant
__________________________________________
The UGSOA International Union who claims to represent security guards throughout the country continues to have its problems. The latest problem was brought upon by 100 + members of UGSOA Local 38 in Portland Oregon. These members had voted 52 - 14 in favor of STOPPING THE PAYMENT OF DUES to UGSOA.
Tom Kelly a Wackenhut security officer who had voted in favor of STOPPING THE PAYMENT OF DUES to UGSOA had stated " UGSOA is a Real Joke" All UGSOA does is take our hard earned money each month without providing any service and/or accountability to its members."We are sick and tired of UGSOA's crap" and now justice was served.
Many UGSOA members we have spoke to have their own horror stories. No return phone calls, failure to process greivances and mounting Failure to represent charges filed by its members with the NLRB against UGSOA, Violations of its own constitution by refusing to have REAL Executive Board Meetings, terminated security officers who are still waiting to have their arbitration cases heard, some waiting years without no response from the UGSOA. Taxation without Representation, understaffing and a lack of leadership and/or direction by UGSOA representatives. Threats and Removal of UGSOA Local officers and Presidents who openly have opposed UGSOA President Jim Vissar and his throne. UGSOA locals being put under trusteeship with the UGSOA International depleting the members bank accounts and funds just to name a few problems we were told by UGSOA members and EX- members. UGSOA Local 38 is just one of several UGSOA Locals who have filed an election to either STOP the PAYMENT of DUES to UGSOA or have filed a decertification election to dump UGSOA. .
" UGSOA is a Real Joke"
All UGSOA does is take our hard earned money each month without providing any service and/or accountability to its members.
Tom Kelly a Wackenhut security officer
__________________________________________
Security Guards Hit Officers Union with Lawsuit for Violations of State?s Right to Work Law
)/> security guards illegally ordered to pay union dues to keep jobs
FOR RELEASE: April 6, 2004
Miami, Fla. (April 6, 2004) ? Three security officers at the Miami Federal Courthouse hit United Government Security Officers of America (UGSOA) Union Local 131 officials with a lawsuit today for illegally ordering them to pay union dues to keep their jobs in violation of state law.
With free legal aid from attorneys,Cynthia Vitale and two coworkers filed the lawsuit in the Circuit Court of the 11th Judicial Circuit in and for Dade County, Florida. The security guards allege UGSOA officials? actions violated Florida?s Right to Work law, which prohibits the practice of forcing employees to join or pay dues to an Unwanted Union UGSOA for a Service they DON'T Receive.
?UGSOA officials? actions show they are more concerned with stuffing their coffers with union dues than respecting the rights of employees they seek to ?represent,?? said Stefan Gleason.
Beginning in May 2003, UGSOA union officials posted several notices at the Miami Federal Courthouse claiming all security officers were required to either join the union or pay a non-member agency fee equivalent to 95% of full union dues. Vitale and her coworkers assert that UGSOA officials used the notices in order to pressure security officers into the UGSOA union against their will.
Some of the notices also falsely claimed that the security officers worked on federal property and thus were not protected by Florida?s Right to Work law and could therefore be forced to pay union fees as a condition of employment. While it is true that those employed on ?exclusive federal property? are not covered by a state Right to Work law, only one such property exists in Miami, and Vitale and her coworkers perform the vast majority of their work on other properties.
These bully tactics by Jim Vissar UGSOA President and James Carney UGSOA Vice President demonstrate why the vast majority of Florida workers are fortunate to labor in freedom and under the protections of a Right to Work Law,? stated Gleason.
UGSOA members are fed up with UGSOA and are decertifying them by the hundreds. While others are filing petitions to Stop the Payment of Dues
_________________________________________________
The CSO Hit List of 44 Fired UGSOA Members Reads like a Obituary of Fallen Soldiers.
What has ugsoa Done to Get These
CSO's Their Jobs Back ?
Ann J. Barkley—Maryland
William J. Burge—Pennsylvania
Harlen D. Coy—Ohio
Don E. Kemp—Louisiana
Keith Morris—Texas
Carl Akins—Oklahoma
Thomas A. Alexander—Oklahoma
Donald h. Allen—Alaska
Frank Browder—Louisiana
Jimmy D. Burrow—Oklahoma
Albert J. Busam—Ohio
Clarence Bynum—Maryland
Michael L. Campbell—Texas
Lawrence K. Churm—Pennsylvania
Byron G. Dahlem—Georgia
Donald Durham—North Carolina
Philip I. Elder—California
Robert Farnsworth—California
Gilmar S. Forbis—North Carolina
Ruben V. Gonzales—Texas
William F. Guthrie—Nevada
John Hansen—–Arkansas
Frank Hruza—Nevada
Robert Hubbard—Virginia
Donald W. Johnson—Illinois
James D. Kimbrel—–Colorado
Walter E. Lamb—California
William P. Lambright—–LA
James E. Lane—Missouri
Monty L Laughlin—Washington
Stephen F. McDonald—Washington
Chester L. McKune—California
Jack C. Morehead—California
Dallas K. Murphy—-Kansas
Miller Pearson—Missouri
Robert Rarick—LA
Ronald F. Ray—Ohio
Felipe Jorge Rodriguez—PR
Thomas J. Roy—Nevada
John B. Scott—Texas
Rhys Sirjane—Ohio
Brian Smith—Washington
Donald Smith—Pennsylvania
Fred A. Thatcher—California
Will You Be Next ?
PLEASE VISIT THESE SITES BELOW TO HEAR THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT UGSOA FROM ITS MEMBERS AND FORMER MEMBERS
www.ugsoa.org
________________________________________________
Why Pay UGSOA President Jim Vissar $96,099 a Year Salary for DOING NOTHING ?
STOP THE DUES TO UGSOA
Here's How:
WHAT IS A DEAUTHORIZATION ELECTION?
You (or someone you know) may work under a contract that requires employees to “join” the union or pay dues or fees to the union as a condition of employment. This is frequently referred to as a “union security clause,” but it is really a forced unionism clause that hands union officials the power to get workers fired for not paying dues to a union that they do not support.
Under the National Labor Relations Act, employees can call for a special election to get rid of the “union security clause,” and thereby rid their workplace of forced unionism. This is called a Deauthorization Election, because employees "deauthorize" the forced-unionism clause and remove it from the contract. (NOTE: Deauthorization elections only occur under the NLRA and have no application whatsoever to the Railway Labor Act (a law that affects airline and railroad employees) and most laws governing state and local public employees and public school employees.
A deauthorization election has only one purpose and effect: to remove the forced-unionism clause from the contract. The remainder of the contract, including all wages and benefits, remains in effect and the union continues to serve as the exclusive bargaining representative, whether or not the employees pay any dues or fees.
Even after a successful deauthorization, every employee remains fully covered by the contract, whether or not he or she remains a union member or pays any dues.
A deauthorization election should be distinguished from a "Decertification" election, in which employees vote to remove the union as their collective bargaining representative. While decertification elections can normally be held only near the expiration of the contract (or every three years, whichever comes first), deauthorization elections can be held at any time during the life of the contract.
Most employees prefer a workplace where membership and the payment of dues is voluntary, as it forces the union hierarchy to be more accountable to the rank-and-file workers. Instead of relying on threats, intimidation, and even firings to gain financial support, union officials have to sell the benefits of union membership.
Under the National Labor Relations Act, employees have the right to call for this deauthorization election at any time. If 30% or more of the employees in the bargaining unit sign a Deauthorization Petition, the National Labor Relations Board will conduct a secret ballot election to determine if a majority of the employees wish to throw out the forced-unionism clause and give employees freedom in the decision whether to join or pay dues to the union. If the petitioning employees win that election, then employees cannot be compelled to pay any dues or fees to the union, and their bargaining unit becomes an “open shop.”
HOW TO GET STARTED: First, employees should assess the strength of support for deauthorization within their overall bargaining unit. Then 30% or more of the employees in a bargaining unit need to sign a Deauthorization Election Form
Please Note: Once the Election is set the NLRB requires the petitioning employees to garner the votes of a Majority of those employees Eligible to vote, NOT just a majority of those employees who show up to vote on election day!
In order to proceed, employees should begin collecting signatures on a petition, which reads something like the following: Deauthorization Election Signature Blanks Form
Once the required Signatures are obtained you must now File your petition with the National Labor Relations Board ( NLRB )
Once All the Information is Filled out Correctly Contact The Nearest NLRB Office near you to File
_________________________________________________
Decertification Election
WHAT IS A DECERTIFICATION ELECTION?
You (or someone you know) may be employed in a workplace where a union has the right to “represent,” and collectively bargain for, all employees. This is frequently referred to as “exclusive representation,” but it is really the government-granted monopoly bargaining privilege that gives union officials the power to make contracts that workers may not like while barring employees from negotiating their own terms of employment. Except in Right to Work states, these contracts almost always include a provision which mandates that employees be fired for not paying dues to a union they do not wish to support.
Though it is generally an uphill battle, the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) allows employees to call for a special election to get rid of the union UGSOA as their “exclusive representative.”
This is called a Decertification Election, because employees revoke the union’s "certification" to be the “exclusive bargaining representative.” In effect, the union UGSOA is voted out of the workplace.
A decertification election has only one purpose and effect: to remove the union UGSOA as the “exclusive bargaining representative” of the employees.
The National Labor Relations Board maintains many rules governing when employees can file for a decertification election.
For unions already in place with a negotiated contract, the NLRB’s general rule is that decertification elections can only be held near the expiration of the contract (or every three years, whichever comes first).
This is called the “contract bar” rule. If you miss that window period, you will have to wait for the next one. For “new” unions which just became the exclusive bargaining representative and do not yet have a collective bargaining agreement, the general NLRB rule is that the union and employer must bargain in good faith for approximately a year before the NLRB will hold a decertification election.
Most employees prefer a workplace where they are free to discuss their terms and conditions of employment directly with the employer, without intervention by a third-party. They also prefer a workplace in which union membership and the payment of dues is voluntary, as this forces the union hierarchy to be more accountable to the rank-and-file workers. Instead of relying on threats, intimidation, and even firings to gain financial support, union officials have to sell the benefits of union membership to the individual employees.
Under the National Labor Relations Act, if 30% or more of the employees in a bargaining unit sign a Decertification Petition, the National Labor Relations Board will conduct a secret ballot election to determine if a majority of the employees wish to decertify the union UGSOA and stop it from any further “exclusive representation.”
If the petitioning employees win that election, then the company becomes nonunion and all employees are free to bargain on their own, and negotiate their own terms and conditions of employment. Moreover, if 50% or more of the employees in a bargaining unit sign a petition that they no longer want to be represented by the union, the employer can withdraw recognition without an election if it wishes to do so.
The petition must be an employee effort. Employer assistance is unlawful and, if there is any, the union will nullify the effort by filing an unfair labor practice charge.
HOW TO GET STARTED: First, employees should assess the strength of support for decertification within their specific bargaining unit. Then 30% or more of the employees in a bargaining unit need to sign a Decertification Petition,
The petitioning employees will need the votes of a majority of those employees who show up to vote on election day.
In order to proceed, employees should collect signatures on a petition which reads something like the following: Decertification Election Petition Blanks
Once employees have collected the appropriate number if signatures, they also need to fill out a separate NLRB “Petition” cover sheet :
You Can Type Right on The Form All of The Information
Once All the Information is Filled out Correctly Contact The Nearest NLRB Office near you to File.
