Employees at a Wells Fargo branch in Wilmington, Delaware, have removed the Communications Workers of America (CWA) union from their workplace, according to a May 18 announcement. The action began when bank employee Nancy Horsky filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) seeking a decertification election to end CWA representation at her branch. Horsky received free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Legal Defense and Education Foundation.
The NLRB oversees federal labor law and is responsible for running elections that certify or decertify unions. A majority of workers at Wells Fargo’s Concord Pike branch signed Horsky’s petition, leading the NLRB to plan a secret-ballot vote on whether to keep or remove “Wells Fargo Workers United,” an affiliate of the CWA.
Shortly before the scheduled election, officials from the CWA announced they would “disclaim interest” in representing employees at this location. As a result, they abandoned their role as bargaining representatives for these workers.
Delaware does not have Right to Work protections that make union membership and dues voluntary. This means that as long as CWA remained in control, employees could have been required to pay dues or fees or risk losing their jobs. According to the official website, the National Right to Work Legal Defense and Education Foundation works to protect employees from compulsory unionism by offering free legal aid and engaging in litigation and public education.
This case follows similar efforts by Wells Fargo workers across several states—including Florida, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Wyoming—who have sought assistance from Foundation attorneys this year alone. In some cases where petitions were filed for decertification votes, union officials responded by filing “blocking charges” with regulatory agencies.
“We are pleased to have been able to assist Ms. Horsky and her coworkers in exercising their right to remove unwanted CWA union bosses,” said National Right to Work Foundation President Mark Mix. “Clearly Wells Fargo employees across the country are coming to the realization that, despite CWA union bosses’ claims, they are better off without the union interfering in their relationship with their employer.”
Mix added: “Other Wells Fargo employees who want to join their colleagues in ejecting unwanted CWA union officials from their locations should feel free to contact the National Right to Work Foundation for free legal assistance.”
