November 19, 2021 VIA EMAIL Mike Ferreira President, California Federation of Interpreters 11823 E. Slauson Ave. Unit 7 Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670 [email protected]
Dear Mr. Ferreira: As a candidate for union President, I am writing to reiterate my statutory right under the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act, 29 U.S.C. 5 481(c) (hereinafter "the Act"), to obtain access to and to inspect a list containing the names and addresses of all members of the California Federation of Interpreters.
The Act expressly states: "Every bona fide candidate shall have the right, once within 30 days prior to an election of a labor organization in which he is a candidate, to inspect a list containing the names and last known addresses of all members of the labor organization..." 29 U.S,C, 5 481(c).
I first requested access to this list on November 10, 2021, via email. The election committee denied my request, stating in an email that "membership privacy is not readily distributed as our members' privacy is of paramount importance. In your capacity as a Union Steward for Region 1 we do not feel that making that information available to you at this time is appropriate."
However, I was not requesting the information as a union steward; rather, I am a declared candidate for union President. Later that day, you followed up with another email, stating: "Just so it is clear the local does not give out its membership list to candidates." The union's position is clearly in violation of my statutory right, as a candidate, to obtain, pursuant to the Act, access to and "to inspect a list containing the names and last known addresses of all members of the labor organization."
I respectfully request that the union comply with federal labor law and grant my request promptly within 30 days prior to the election. Please let me know by 4 p.m. Monday, November 22, 2021, how you intend to proceed.