Labor Complaint Against Teamsters Local 63
Employees of a medical waste service have accused Teamsters officials of threatening to terminate them if they did not join the union, as stated in a recent labor complaint.
A complaint submitted to the National Labor Relations Board features statements from Veolia Environmental Services employee Alexus Villanueva, who claims Teamsters Local 63 pressured him into completing forms and paying dues during a heated interaction at the company’s site on January 13.
Villanueva asserts that the union failed to notify him about the legal requirements concerning the calculation of nonpolitical membership fees, which he said should have been provided.
“The union bosses didn’t explain my rights,” Villanueva expressed in an interview. “They simply demanded I join or face losing my job. I feel disrespected, both personally and professionally, by this effort to coerce us.”
During his encounter, Villanueva claimed he was summoned to the supervisor’s office, where he received an envelope directing him to fill out an application for dues collection.
He recalled being told, “If you don’t sign this, you know we’ll have to let you go.”
Upon returning to his desk, Villanueva discovered a notice indicating he would owe dues retroactively from October to December 2025.
The complaint alleges that the union violated procedural protections established by the Supreme Court’s 1988 decision in *Communications Workers of America v. Beck*, which restricts the extent to which unions can gather dues from employees not supporting political activities.
Among the claimed violations, Villanueva noted that he was not informed about how the unbilled fees were calculated, nor was he offered an independent review to contest those calculations.
The NLRB enforces federal labor laws in the private sector and makes it illegal for union officials to threaten termination for workers declining to join.
In California, there are no right-to-work laws, allowing unions to mandate that employees pay dues and fees as a condition of their employment. In contrast, neighboring states like Nevada and Arizona prohibit such mandatory membership or financial support.
Mark Mix, president of the National Labor Rights Foundation, criticized the Teamsters for what he calls coercive tactics. He remarked, “Instead of inspiring workers to join voluntarily, Teamsters Local 63 leaders disregard federal labor laws in their pursuit of control and revenue. No individual should feel pressured into funding union agendas just to keep their positions.”
There has been no response from Teamsters Local 63 regarding the request for comments.
National labor rights organizations have observed a recurring trend of employees challenging Teamsters Local 63 in Southern California. Notably, in 2024, Dependable Highway Express drivers successfully contested their union following retaliation allegations, while Los Angeles XPO Logistics workers won a decertification vote with backing from the National Labor Rights Foundation in 2021.
