Karin Yaniv, an Israeli postdoc at UC Berkeley, alleges that her graduate student union has created an atmosphere of pervasive hostility and relentless abuse targeting Israeli Jews it represents. She has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit seeking to end the union’s anti-Semitic discrimination against her and other Jews and to hold union officials accountable for the hostile work environment they have fostered on campus.

Isaac Newman couldn’t run for a union board position because he had to identify as a person of color to qualify. He believes that the union’s practice segregates its members and violates the Civil Rights Act and California law. His lawsuit seeks to end the union’s racial discrimination.

Mindy McFetridge uses her PTO to care for her sick daughter, but during the pandemic, a group of male union officials ignored seniority rules and kept themselves working, forcing her to exhaust her PTO. She seeks restitution and accountability.

John Grande won a huge victory at the state labor board when he filed charges against his union for refusing to represent him in a workplace grievance, securing rights for all Connecticut public employees. Now he is looking to hold school administrators accountable for the retaliatory investigation that began when he simply voiced his opinion.

Penny Gustafson’s union deliberately mishandled her workplace grievance because she chose not to become a union member. Officials told her that she was “sponging off the union” and would receive minimal representation.

Ashley Kjarbo wanted to resign her union membership, but union officials and the IRS teamed up against her in an unfair fight. Ashley’s unfair labor practice charge forced the IRS to apologize and commit to not interfere with employees’ rights.

Todd Burns was next in line for a promotion under the terms of his union-negotiated contract, but a less qualified and less senior colleague who happened to be friends with the hiring manager got the job instead. Todd turned to his union for help—but it refused to defend the terms of its own contract.

Avraham Goldstein and five other City University of New York professors were outraged when their union issued a resolution they viewed as “anti-Israel” and “anti-Semitic.” Though these professors are no longer union members, New York law forces them to still accept the union’s representation.

Ray Michielini’s union was operating under a collective bargaining agreement from 1952 that required union membership. But he successfully challenged the membership requirement and fended off the union’s attempts at retaliation.

Mark Kiddo and seven other Erie employees discovered that their union officials had concealed retirement options from them during contract negotiations. They sued to enforce their union’s duty to represent them fairly–and won.

Gerri McGraw was told that she had to sign a new union card to vote on a new contract. This was false and it roped her into continued dues deductions even if she resigned from the union. Gerri strives to hold the union accountable.

Alan Wisnewski was barred from voting on a new contract unless he signed a new union card, violating his voting rights as a dues-paying member. He alleges that the union breached their contract when it prevented him from voting.