I was wrongfully terminated and most of the Lawyers I've talked to said that i have to sue the Union . it that true?

Asked over 1 year ago - Oceanside, CA

I was terminated on November 8, 2012. The Union was there and seems they didn't really do anything. The Company said because of previous "so called" falsifying documents which the never proved because I didn't do and they said that I lied about an accident that was means for termination. There was no signed paperwork from the first case that was supposed to be signed. So, they terminated me. The Union said that they didn't believe me and that i was lying. I found out that there was a letter from the Union that said that they would not represent me, because Had an bad attitude. They sent this letter to the Company. Can I also sue the Company?

Attorney answers (2)

  1. Neil Pedersen

    Contributor Level 20


    Lawyers agree

    Answered . If you are an at will employee, your employer can terminate you for any reason or even for no reason. It certainly can terminate you if it believes you falsified documents, even if you didn't and even if you could absolutely prove you are innocent of those charges. As long as the termination was not motivated by the fact that you are in a protected class of people, or because you engaged in protected conduct, you can be fired even if the decision is irrational, unreasonable or based on wholly false facts.

    As to suing the union. That will likely be a non-starter. It is not the entity that fired you. A claim of ineffective assistance by the union will not work either.

    Good luck finding a new job.

  2. John Francis Mccarthy

    Contributor Level 10

    Answered . In addition to what Neil said, below is some information on at will employment. Wrongful termination cases are tough to win. You might have some breach of the collective bargaining agreement, that could support a breach of contract. You might be able to sue the union for breach of duty of fair representation, but that's not an easy case to win, especially in San Diego.

    The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this or associated pages,... more

Related Topics

Labor unions

Labor unions are organizations of workers, commonly created to bargain collectively with an employer for better wages, benefits, and working conditions.

Termination of employment

Termination is when your employer ends your working relationship and you no longer work at the company. You must be paid for all hours worked until termination.

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