2007 PRESS RELEASES

February 27, 2007

Union interferes with teacher's attempts to divert dues to charity

OLYMPIA--Susan Wiggs, a Vancouver school teacher, has been attempting since August 2005 to divert her union dues to a charity that fights sex trafficking. Under state and federal law, teachers and other workers can opt out of union membership by claiming religious exemption, and can send their union dues to a charitable organization. Susan Wiggs' local union, however, has refused to send her dues to the charity of her choice.

Wiggs' case against the Vancouver Education Association (VEA) was heard before the Public Employment Relations Commission on February 26, 2007, in Olympia. While the Vancouver Education Association agrees that she qualifies for religious objector status, it has refused to accommodate her charity selection. Wiggs would like her dues to go to Shared Hope International, which works "to prevent and eradicate sex trafficking and slavery through education and public awareness," according to its website.

VEA Executive Director Roy Maier refused, saying the organization was "not acceptable" to the VEA. Although Susan provided the union with documentation of Shared Hope’s non-profit, non-sectarian status, it has continued to block her from sending her union dues to Shared Hope.

Wiggs discovered guidelines the VEA had previously agreed to follow as a result of litigation with a different religious objector. The guidelines stated, "The goal is to respect the objector's choice of charities, so long as the designated recipient is lawful and charitable."

"It is unclear why the VEA has such a strong objection to an organization that works to rescue women and children from sex trafficking," said Michael Reitz, Labor Policy Director for the Evergreen Freedom Foundation. "As an organization of teachers, one would assume they would be particularly concerned with the trafficking and slavery of children."

Wiggs contacted the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, who obtained legal representation for her hearing before the Public Employment Relations Commission. Another hearing before the Public Employees Relations Commission on her case has been scheduled for March 21, 2007.

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