The Buckeye Institute has initiated another legal action against the Ohio Association of Public School Employees (OAPSE), alleging illegal wage deductions. The lawsuit, Swanner v. OAPSE, was filed in the Lorain County Court of Common Pleas on behalf of Shannon Swanner from Norwalk, Ohio.
Jay R. Carson, senior litigator at The Buckeye Institute and attorney for Mrs. Swanner, stated, “For more than a year and a half, the Ohio Association of Public School Employees has illegally taken money out of Mrs. Swanner’s paycheck, claiming that even though she isn’t a member of the union, she nonetheless must continue to pay dues.” He further remarked on the inevitability of union dues according to OAPSE.
Mrs. Swanner has been a licensed nurse with the Lorain County Board of Developmental Disabilities for over ten years, serving individuals with disabilities in Lorain County. On June 14, 2023, she informed OAPSE/American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Local 771 of her resignation and requested an end to paycheck deductions. However, despite acknowledging her resignation on June 29, 2023, the union continued deductions by deeming her cancellation “untimely.”
Mrs. Swanner faced challenges in obtaining clarity regarding what constituted a timely request or how to navigate the process to cease these deductions. Her attempts throughout 2023 and 2024 were met with disregard from both her employer and the union.
The Buckeye Institute’s lawsuit seeks several remedies: cessation of paycheck deductions from Mrs. Swanner’s salary; reimbursement for amounts deducted post-resignation; an injunction against further deductions; coverage for costs and attorneys’ fees; and affirmation that Ohio courts hold jurisdiction over union contract disputes.
Updates on the case can be found at BuckeyeInstitute.org/SwanervOAPSE.
