Michielini v. IBEW, Local 589

The Fairness Center represents Raymond Michielini, a third railman for the Long Island Rail Road. Mr. Michielini resigned his membership in IBEW Local 589, after being wrongfully accused of widely distributing a video unflattering to union officials. But the contract covering Mr. Michielini’s position requires employees to be union members. And after Mr. Michielini resigned, the union stopped offering him overtime opportunities that he was entitled to under the collective bargaining agreement. Because the Supreme Court has recognized that public employees can’t be forced to be members of a union, Mr. Michielini has filed a lawsuit seeking an end to the requirement that he be a union member, and to hold the union accountable for violating its duty of fair representation to him as part of the bargaining unit it represents.