Nuclear Security Officers at Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant Demand Vote to Remove SPFPA Union
- Jan 7
- 3 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Nuclear Security Officers at Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant Demand Vote to Remove SPFPA Union Officials
Nuclear Security Officers at Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant collect enough signatures to prompt federal labor board to administer SPFPA union removal vote.
Waynesboro, GA (January 8, 2026) – Nuclear Security officers working for Southern Nuclear Operating Company have recently filed a petition asking the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to hold a vote to remove the Security, Police and Fire Professionals of America (SPFPA) union from their workplace. The guards, who filed the petition with assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, work at Plant Vogtle, a major nuclear power plant in Waynesboro, Georgia.
The NLRB is the federal agency responsible for enforcing federal labor law, a task that includes administering votes to install (or “certify”) and remove (or “decertify”) unions in workplaces. Under NLRB rules, the Board should administer a decertification election if employees submit a petition in which a required number of workers in a work unit demand such an election. The Southern Nuclear Operating Company workers’ petition, which Dallas Howard submitted on behalf of his coworkers, met this threshold.
Vogtle Nuclear Security Officers Dissatisfied with SPFPA Union ‘Representation’
Georgia is a Right to Work state, meaning that SPFPA officials cannot enforce union contracts that require workers to pay union dues or fees to keep their jobs. In non-Right to Work states, union bosses can have workers fired solely for refusing to financially support union officials’ activities.
However, in both Right to Work and non-Right to Work states, union officials can wield exclusive “representation” power over every employee in a workplace, even those that don’t want to be represented by the union. A successful decertification election would strip SPFPA union bosses of exclusive bargaining power over these 250 security guards, enabling the workers to negotiate for themselves.
SPFPA Union Officials Continue to Ignore Worker Interests
The Foundation has seen a history of unwanted “representation” by the SPFPA. In 2024, the Foundation provided free legal aid to security guards in Delaware after the SPFPA negotiated a contract behind their backs. In Las Vegas, security guards scored a settlement returning thousands of dollars in illegally-seized union dues after SPFPA officials failed to acknowledge many employees’ attempts to revoke their union memberships and cut off dues deductions.
“SPFPA union officials have repeatedly shown that they care little about workers they claim to ‘represent.’ They only care about maintaining control and power, and we are proud to assist these security guards as they try to restore their individual freedom,” said National Right to Work Foundation President Mark Mix. “While Georgia’s Right to Work law guards employees from the forced-dues demands of union officials, no worker should be forced under the control of union chiefs who are self-interested or simply aren’t doing a good job.”
Source: National Right to Work Foundation (NRTW)
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Florida couple pled guilty today to conspiracy to provide and receive prohibited labor payments, in violation of the Labor Management Relations Act, also known as the Taft-Hartley Act.
According to court documents, since at least 2010 until November 2023, Ricky Dallas O’Quinn, 63, of Melbourne, Florida, served as both an officer and employee of International Union, Security, Police and Fire Professionals of America (SPFPA), a labor organization that represents protective security officers at federal workplaces. SPFPA executed collective bargaining agreements with several employers covering the security industry in several states. Ricky’s wife, Mabel O’Quinn, was the founder, incorporator, and an initial director of Company-2, which provided protective security officers at federal workplaces in numerous states. While Mabel served as Company-2’s chief executive officer and president, Ricky was involved in the finance, budget, and operations of the company since its inception in a clandestine role. Both Ricky and Mabel O’Quinn hid Ricky’s involvement in operating Company-2.
Read more about this story: Former SPFPA VP @ Large Rick O'Quinn & His Wife Plead Guilty in a Scheme to Provide & Receive Prohibited Labor Payments
Copyright Disclaimer under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976: allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational, or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
© 2026 by The Washington DC / NYC PSO's Eyes on SPFPA Watchdog Committee. An Independent Organization seeking Justice & Accountability.
Comments