May, 2001 — defending free speech without going to court?
Q: “Our local has instituted a by-law which allows them to expel a union member for spreading rumours. Because I ran for office in the last election, the union officials have charged me with not only the above but they are charging that my campaign literature was “circulating letters of falsehood and misrepresentation.” How can I do something about this without going to court?” A: Judging by the term “circulating letters of falsehood and misrepresentation,” we are talking here about the United Assocation of Plumbers and Pipefitters, (UA), and the language to which you refer is not only in the bylaws, but in Section 199 of the UA constitution. More than once, democratically-challenged union officers have tried to use this provision to punish members for exercising their free speech rights. Section 199 misrepresents UA members legal rights and AUD has helped UA members fight back in a number of ways, more on that below. (Note: the UA is not the only union that uses this kind of language
