One of the nation's largest public sector unions defended mandatory unionism in a brief filed to the Supreme Court Friday.
American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 31 is fighting to maintain a government agency's right to mandate union dues or fee payments as a condition of employment. Several AFSCME members in Illinois have petitioned the Supreme Court to reverse court precedent set in Abood v. Detroit Board of Education (1977) on the grounds that they are being forced to subsidize political advocacy. Twenty-two states mandate those fee payments, while 26 prohibit such fees.
AFSCME said such payments are needed to prevent a free rider problem in which workers benefit from union organizing efforts and advantageous contracts, while refusing to pay for those services. Since union contract terms, including salaries and grievance procedures, extend to all workers in a bargaining unit, rather than just union members, it is only fair for workers to pay for union services. The union argues that disrupting the practice could threaten labor peace in the workforce.
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Notice that it is a government union
ReplyDeleteWhen President Reagan fired all the air traffic controllers that was the beginning of the end for the unions.
ReplyDeleteIn MD they won the representation of all State workers with no exceptions. Then they pushed the MD Legislature stating they were losing money representing none AFSCME members and got them to pass the law getting 1/2 dues from none members. That should be illegal since they knew the law before they won that election, so is that not forced membership without full representation? AFSCME is nothing but the arm of the Democrats. They are a false Union. That is a fact coming from a past member that held high positions with them.
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