NYC Train Operator’s Litigation Breaks Through Union’s Resignation Hurdles
Wong v. Transport Workers Union, Local 100
Case Summary
- When Wayne Wong wanted to resign his union membership, union officials seemed to be doing their best to make it as difficult as possible.
- Wayne, a train operator in New York with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), was a member of the Transport Workers Union, Local 100 (TWU).
- In June of 2020, Wayne first attempted to resign from the union when he felt it no longer represented his interests. However, TWU and MTA refused to acknowledge his resignation, and dues continued to be deducted from his paycheck.
Union Imposes Arbitrary Hurdles to Retain Employee’s Dues
Wayne attempted to resign from the union several more times after union officials kept telling him to “redo” his request. Eventually, TWU officials demanded that Wayne bring his resignation letter, in person, to the union office in New York City in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. Wayne, a recent cancer survivor, was particularly at-risk from the coronavirus, but that didn’t matter to union officials.
(Wayne Wong. Photo credit: The Fairness Center.)
Litigation Forces Union to Treat Employee Fairly
Wayne complied with every request TWU officials made of him, but they still refused to acknowledge his resignation and stop dues deductions. With the help of the Fairness Center, Wayne filed a federal lawsuit to force the union to acknowledge his resignation.
Wayne’s lawsuit caused the TWU to acknowledge that he was no longer a union member and to refund all dues, with interest, that were taken from him since the date of his initial resignation.
“If the union cared about my interests as much as the Fairness Center, I might still be a member.” – Wayne Wong
Case Status & Documents
- Complaint
March 8, 2021
Wong v. Transport Workers Union, Local 100 is closed.
