Border Agent Attempts to Leave Union over Vaccine Mandate
Tower v. NTEU-CBP
Andrew Tower is a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer stationed in Detroit, Michigan. He was a member of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU-CBP). But when President Biden issued an executive order mandating Covid-19 vaccinations for federal employees, Andrew believes his union fell down on the job.
Border Patrol Union Allows Employee to Face Firing Threat
As a union member, Andrew expected NTEU officials to represent employees who objected to the vaccine mandate.
However, union officials buckled under pressure from the Biden administration. It allowed Andrew and others to face the threat of firing—even though the union had the opportunity and obligation to represent employees’ interests.
Officer Attempts to Resign From Union
Andrew emailed CBP’s payroll office, frustrated by his union’s lack of representation. He asked how he could ensure dues would immediately stop being deducted from his paycheck.
Officials said that the NTEU enforced a “resignation window”—a short window of time in which members can end their membership. He was also told that he would have to meet with the local union president and obtain his signature to resign outside of that window.
Ignored by Union Officials and No Longer in ‘Good Standing’
Andrew contacted the union president in 2022 but received no response. Three subsequent follow-ups went unanswered as well. Concurrently, union dues deductions continued from his paycheck.
However, Andrew realized that the union stopped sending him emails and information on events and clinics it was holding for members. Andrew soon learned that because he had requested to leave the union, union officials considered him to be “a member not in good standing,” but they continued to ignore his resignation and forced him to keep paying dues anyway.
Andrew files unfair labor practice charges and FOIA lawsuit
Andrew sought the Fairness Center’s help to assert his constitutional rights to not be forced to financially support or associate with a union. We filed an unfair labor practice charge with the Federal Labor Relations Authority.
Andrew also filed a Freedom of Information Act Request to find out why, despite being cut off from the NTEU, the union and CBP were still deducting dues from his paychecks. The deadline came and went for CBP to respond. On behalf of Andrew, the Fairness Center then filed a federal lawsuit to obtain the records requested.
Tower v. NTEU was filed before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
Documents
- Complaint – January 25, 2023
Andrew Tower is a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer stationed in Detroit, Michigan. He was a member of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU-CBP). But when President Biden issued an executive order mandating Covid-19 vaccinations for federal employees, Andrew believes his union fell down on the job.
Border Patrol Union Allows Employee to Face Firing Threat
As a union member, Andrew expected NTEU officials to represent employees who objected to the vaccine mandate.
However, union officials buckled under pressure from the Biden administration. It allowed Andrew and others to face the threat of firing—even though the union had the opportunity and obligation to represent employees’ interests.
Officer Attempts to Resign From Union
Andrew emailed CBP’s payroll office, frustrated by his union’s lack of representation. He asked how he could ensure dues would immediately stop being deducted from his paycheck.
Officials said that the NTEU enforced a “resignation window”—a short window of time in which members can end their membership. He was also told that he would have to meet with the local union president and obtain his signature to resign outside of that window.
Ignored by Union Officials and No Longer in ‘Good Standing’
Andrew contacted the union president in 2022 but received no response. Three subsequent follow-ups went unanswered as well. Concurrently, union dues deductions continued from his paycheck.
However, Andrew realized that the union stopped sending him emails and information on events and clinics it was holding for members. Andrew soon learned that because he had requested to leave the union, union officials considered him to be “a member not in good standing,” but they continued to ignore his resignation and forced him to keep paying dues anyway.
Andrew files unfair labor practice charges and FOIA lawsuit
Andrew sought the Fairness Center’s help to assert his constitutional rights to not be forced to financially support or associate with a union. We filed an unfair labor practice charge with the Federal Labor Relations Authority.
Andrew also filed a Freedom of Information Act Request to find out why, despite being cut off from the NTEU, the union and CBP were still deducting dues from his paychecks. The deadline came and went for CBP to respond. On behalf of Andrew, the Fairness Center then filed a federal lawsuit to obtain the records requested.
Tower v. NTEU was filed before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
Documents
- Complaint – January 25, 2023