Our WSNA local units have let us know that the so-called “Freedom Foundation” has emailed the Seattle King County Public Health Nurses using an optouttoday.com email address. “Opt Out” is a campaign in Freedom Foundation’s long-running efforts to curtail worker power and destroy unions.

The Freedom Foundation wants us to think things would be better if we didn’t have our union or that nothing would change if we just stopped paying our membership dues. That’s just nonsense. Our membership and solidarity with each other allow us to speak with one unified voice and achieve contract gains that protect the public, our patients, and our professional lives.

So, who is the Freedom Foundation and why will they try to convince us to give up our union voice?

The Freedom Foundation is, at its core, anti-worker and anti-union. Their goal is to undermine unions so they can implement an extreme agenda that includes cutting health care, pensions and wages of workers, undermining funding and privatizing public services, and attacking the rights of underrepresented communities. The Freedom Foundation’s Opt Out campaign is an attack on workers. Learn more about how Opt Out is working to undermine worker power at: "Opt Out Today" Overview (accountablenw.org).

Freedom Foundation harassment tactics and how you can stop them

Freedom Foundation operatives have been known to show up at facilities where employees work. They have harassed union members at their homes. They have even gone to the homes of workers and claimed to be a representative of the worker’s union. The good news is that if we are informed and ready, we can stop them. Here are some tips to protect yourself if you are contacted by the Freedom Foundation.

Freedom Foundation email harassment and how you can stop them

Contrary to what the so-called Freedom Foundation said in emails targeting WSNA nurses, our active involvement in our union is what keeps us strong. We have negotiated agreements with management that our members have ratified time and again. We need 100% membership and involvement so we can keep pushing, keep advocating, and keep winning at the bargaining table and at the State Legislature for our members and our community. Here are some ways you can block unwanted email from the Freedom Foundation:

• Reporting email as Spam or Junk: Outlook and other email servers will often allow you to report messages as spam, which helps to identify and filter similar messages and those from the same sender as spam.

• Blocking a Message: Another option, if your employer uses Outlook, is to block a message. This option will add the sender of the message to a block list and automatically mark any message from them as junk.

• FTC Do Not Call Registry: If you receive an unwanted call from the Freedom Foundation you can report it to the FTC’s do not call registry (National Do Not Call Registry).

REMINDER: Do not reply to any email you receive from the Freedom Foundation from your work email. The emails we have seen from the Freedom Foundation to our members invite you to respond to this email with any questions you may have. Don’t let them lure you into potentially violating state policy by using your work email to respond.

We are in this together!

As union nurses, we know we do our best work when we work together. Our commitment to each other through our union is no different. Now more than ever we need every nurse to stand together in our union to ensure the best care for our community and the strongest voice for our profession.

Let’s not be fooled or harassed by an organization that aims to destroy our unity and our power.

If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact Nurse Representative for the Seattle King County staff nurses, Tara Barnes at tbarnes@wsna.org or 206-575-7979 ext 3027