{"id":1106,"date":"2016-08-28T12:57:39","date_gmt":"2016-08-28T18:57:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/markmeckler\/?p=1106"},"modified":"2016-08-28T12:58:11","modified_gmt":"2016-08-28T18:58:11","slug":"labor-union-in-the-judicial-systems-cross-hairs-after-crossing-the-wrong-texas-businessman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/markmeckler\/2016\/08\/labor-union-in-the-judicial-systems-cross-hairs-after-crossing-the-wrong-texas-businessman\/","title":{"rendered":"Labor Union in the judicial system’s cross hairs after crossing the wrong Texas businessman"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

$\"Screen$ <\/p>\n

Have you ever\u00a0looked forward to the day when militant labor unions would be held accountable for their abuses? \u00a0Well, today\u2019s your day. \u00a0Recently, we told you about this case in Texas<\/a>. \u00a0Now, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is fighting to survive a courtroom battle in Houston that it spent 10 years hoping to avoid.<\/p>\n

Professional Janitorial Services (PJS) of Houston filed a defamation lawsuit against the SEIU in 2007 after the union knowingly spread lies about the company to owners of buildings it cleaned.\u00a0 The union claimed PJS mistreated its employees and stole money from their paychecks, despite a report by the Department of Labor that made clear the claims were false.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to testimony in the trial, which started two weeks ago and is expected to end this week, the SEIU went so far as to file falsified\u00a0 employee complaints\u2014some with apparently forged signatures\u2014with the National Labor Relations Board. It also claimed 400 employees were eligible to join a class action lawsuit the union filed to pretend PJS cheated employees on their paychecks.<\/span><\/p>\n

In fact, the National Labor Relations Board dismissed 19 of the 20 unfair labor practice complaints (and only required the company to hang an informational poster to resolve the remaining complaint).\u00a0 In addition, the union was forced to drop its bogus lawsuit when no plaintiffs showed up.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite this, the union used the filings as \u201cevidence\u201d to tell PJS customers the company was a lawbreaker, and that it was \u201cunder investigation\u201d for the very charges that were determined to have no merit.<\/span><\/p>\n

The problem for the union is that Brent Southwell, the CEO of PJS, is a Texan.\u00a0 He has spent 10 years defying the union\u2019s abuses and\u2014unfortunately for the SEIU\u2014plotting his revenge.\u00a0 Brent is seeking more than $5 million in damages for the union\u2019s lies, and wants punitive damages that could cost the union even more.<\/span><\/p>\n

Watch Southwell explain the situation to Greta Van Susteren in 2014:<\/p>\n