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Thursday, January 25, 2018

Right to Work Here to Stay in Kentucky

A Kentucky judge threw out a union attempt to block the state's newly minted right to work law.

Teamsters Local 89 filed suit shortly after Republican Gov. Matt Bevin approved right to work, a law that bars companies from mandating union membership as a condition of employment, in January 2017. On Tuesday, Franklin Circuit Court Judge Thomas D. Wingate dismissed the suit, saying the union failed to show a "genuine issue of material fact" to support its assertion the law would illegally take their property.

Labor groups sought to block the implementation of the law by arguing that it illegally denied them their property, namely the dues and fees that workers pay. Federal law mandates that unions with sole bargaining rights over a workplace cover all employees, rather than just members. The union argued right to work would create a free rider problem in which workers benefit from union-negotiated wages and compensation, as well as grievance representation and work rules, but do not have to pay for that representation.

Judge Wingate dismissed that claim, saying the law did not prevent unions from continuing to collect from those opting for membership. He further said that a worker's wages, even the portion that previously went to pay dues or fees, are not considered the property of the union.

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6 comments:

Zorro said...

ha ha

Anonymous said...

We need that in maryland. The teachers union is working to force all teachers to join the union. They will then have much more money to support their ultra liberal agendas.

Anonymous said...

Keep cheering this isn't a liberal agenda issue. Keep eating what the mainstream feeds you. Most every union worker I've ever met had hard calloused hands who loved America and their families. Union busting is killing middle class jobs all over the country. Maryland is already a right to work state 6:14.

Anonymous said...

Some times unions are necessary to combat an abusive company but the problem is they all seem to get greedy and eventually drive the coumpany out of business or out of state. A lot of good paying jobs left this area because of unions.Crown cork and seal,Wayne Pump and a whole bunch of others.

Anonymous said...

Wrong 6:14. It's about liberal politics and greed. Maryland has allowed the counties the right to allow unions to force workers to join. It's called the fair share act and it was done by liberal politicians who are counting on union support for their reelection.

Anonymous said...

It's a tricky situation.

Unions can be good and/or bad. Each situation is different.

It IS a fact that wealthy business owners don't want unions so they can drive wages down and provide substantially less in benefits. With no unions, workers have zero power.

If an employer pays a fair wage and good benefits, the union is not needed. Face facts, in the United States Corporate pay and investor pay has gone through the roof, while worker pay is lower than ever. It's simple math. Unions are needed more than ever.