Securitas worker claims he was fired after reporting supervisor's anti-union comments

A man has filed suit against his former employer, alleging he lost his job after he reported that his supervisor threatened to fire anyone who started a union.

William Everts Jr. claims he worked as an account manager at defendant Securitas Security Services USA until he was fired on Dec. 14, 2011, after he reported unlawful conduct at the company.

Before Everts’s termination, Securitas employees were hoping to form a union. Management did not want the union, and Hamilton threatened to fire all employees if the union vote succeeded, according to the complaint filed Dec. 13 in Madison County Circuit Court.

After hearing Hamilton’s comment, Everts reported it to Hamilton’s supervisor, Luke Hutsell. In turn, Hamilton was directed to apologize for his comments, the suit states.

Hamilton then told a Securitas employee that if the union was voted in, he would fire Everts, the complaint says.

Indeed, the union was voted in on Oct. 29, 2011. However, Everts was not a union member and was not part of the collective bargaining agreement, according to the complaint. Hamilton fired Everts shortly after the union was voted in, the suit states.

“Everts’ discharge was causally related to his reports of the unlawful conduct at Securitas,” the complaint says. “At all relevant times, there existed a clear mandate of Illinois Public Policy prohibiting discharge from employment for reporting an employer’s violation of law, including as in this case, the violations of the NLRA.”

Everts contends his work performance had nothing to do with his discharge, saying he had not been given any warnings and had received numerous promotions before his firing.

Because of his discharge, Everts claims he lost wages and fringe benefits and suffered emotional distress.

He seeks a judgment of more than $150,000, plus other costs the court deems just.

Michael J. Brunton and Mary M. Stewart of Brunton Law Offices in Collinsville will be representing him.

Madison County Circuit Court case number: 13-L-2102.