The Ugly Side Of Strikes

"We should all pay them a visit at their house and let them know we are always [there]," one striking union militant wrote on Facebook this week.

Communications Workers of America (CWA) and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) union bosses have ordered tens of thousands of Verizon employees to abandon their jobs and report to a union picket line.

The early reports of rampant intimidation and militancy are disturbing but sadly unsurprising.

Verizon already reports over 70 acts of sabotage and damage to phone and Internet lines -- exposing customers to the possibility that they will be unable to call for help or reach family during an emergency.

One union militant ordered his young daughter to stand in front a Verizon truck while he verbally berated the independent technicians. Check out the video -- with explicit language -- by clicking here.

And on Facebook, union strikers compiled a so-called "scab" list -- that disgusting name union thugs use to demean, harass, and even threaten workers who defy union-boss orders and continue working to provide for their families.

That Facebook page has since been deleted, but not until union militants broadcast the names and phone numbers of independent-minded workers for all to see, along with menacing messages like the one above.

But with more days, weeks, or even months of striking ahead, I'm afraid we may have only seen the tip of the iceberg.

That's why your continued support of the National Right to Work organizations is so crucial.

The Committee's sister organization, the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, has issued special legal notices to CWA and IBEW union members to inform them of their right to resign from the union and return to work.

Foundation attorneys have provided free legal aid to victims of union violence, illegal strike fines, and other forms of strike-related union-boss intimidation.

Meanwhile, one of the Committee's top legislative priorities is to force Congress to eliminate one of Big Labor's most appalling special privileges.

The fact is, for decades union bosses and their underlings have committed thousands of reported incidents of violence, extortion, vandalism and even murder.

And in most of these cases these vicious acts of violence and intimidation have not even been investigated, much less prosecuted and punished.

Ever since the Supreme Court's infamous 1973 Enmons decision, union bosses have been granted immunity from federal prosecution for acts of violence and vandalism they orchestrate in the so-called "pursuit of legitimate union objectives."

This outrageous loophole in federal law has effectively tied the hands of federal law enforcement officers and has permitted union bosses and their handpicked "enforcers" to pursue their union goals – in any way they see fit.

Passage of the Freedom from Union Violence Act would close the loophole in federal law and finally allow authorities to prosecute union officials for inciting violence.

If you haven't already, please sign the petition urging your U.S. Congressman and Senators to cosponsor the Freedom from Union Violence Act.

We're seeing once again this week just how dangerous union militancy can be.

Ugly union strikes affect Americans from all walks of life.

Unfortunately, federal labor law encourages forced unionism -- and the union violence loophole encourage union militancy during strikes.

Thank you once again for helping us fight back.

Sincerely,