Supreme Court Could Cripple Public Unions

[The Parkus Empire]

The Supreme Court will hear arguments Monday in a case that could shrink government unions and their campaign war chests by as much as two thirds, with potentially devastating consequences for the Democratic Party in a competitive election cycle.

The case, Janus v. AFSCME, challenges the money that public unions representing teachers, firefighters, nurses and other government employees collect from non-members to cover their share of collective bargaining costs. Democratic candidates and causes rely on these unions for more than $100 million in contributions every election cycle, and for armies of workers dispatched to staff phone banks and canvass neighborhoods across the country.

https://www.politico.com/amp/story/2018 ... rms-423436

Thoughts on this? I am personally rooting for the plaintiff. It is perverse to force a non-member to pay union dues when such dues are often used to finance political parties or candidates. I understand that all workers in a public sector gain advantage from union bargaining, but here it is being applied to undermine democracy

[Washington Resistance Army]

I'll have to give it a more in depth read and offer a longer opinion later but from a quick glance I'd have to say I agree with the plaintiff here.

[Alvecia]

I'm big on unions, but I don't think you should have to pay into one you're not a member of.

[Washington Resistance Army]

Well after a bit more reading I fully expect the plaintiff to win this. There's already 4 votes solidly on the side of overruling the Abood decision and I believe that SCOTUS actually would have done this back in 2016 (based on Scalia siding with the majority in Harris v. Quinn) but Scalia died so it ended up being 4-4. With Gorsuch now on the court I expect this to be 5-4 with very strong dissents.

Ought to be interesting to see the political ramifications of this.

[Sovaal]

Yah, I get it, Democrats don’t want this because it’s a big honey pot. But even that aside I don’t see why someone should pay fees for an organization they’re not a part of.

[Apalacia]

Hold on... Public unions force non members to pay dues???

Isn't that extortion?

No beuno.

[Petrolheadia]

My take on it: compulsory union membership can be a thing, but only as long as prospective employees have a right of being informed about such policies, and union non-memberships can be grandfathered in.

[Kramanica]

Yeah, can't say I agree with non-members having to pay fees.

[Ostroeuropa]

Fair enough on the plaintiff.

My take on it: compulsory union membership can be a thing, but only as long as prospective employees have a right of being informed about such policies, and union non-memberships can be grandfathered in.

I'd prefer default membership and allowing them to resign.

[Petrolheadia]

Fair enough on the plaintiff.

My take on it: compulsory union membership can be a thing, but only as long as prospective employees have a right of being informed about such policies, and union non-memberships can be grandfathered in.

I'd prefer default membership and allowing them to resign.

Whatever. Just inform the employees if they can be out of the union, and allow non-memberships to be grandfathered in.

[San Lumen]

I dont normally agree with anti union decisions but this one i do. If your not a part of the union why should you have to pay dues into it?

[Ethel mermania]

I dont normally agree with anti union decisions but this one i do. If your not a part of the union why should you have to pay dues into it?

Because you receive the pay and benefits that are negotiated by the union, whether you are a member or not.

[MERIZoC]

You get the benefits, you pay the dues. This isn't about individual members, this is about providing a stronger front against management, and politics is part of that. Anyone who cares about workers will oppose this bullshit.

I'm big on unions, but I don't think you should have to pay into one you're not a member of.

Then you're not big on unions.

[Benuty]

I dont normally agree with anti union decisions but this one i do. If your not a part of the union why should you have to pay dues into it?

Because you receive the pay and benefits that are negotiated by the union, whether you are a member or not.

Right there is why I question why no one thought to have common sense. You do not give somebody incentives they want without having to work for it or not wanting it in the first place. Would it not make more sense to bait nonmembers in, and then like a venus fly trap close in on their victim?

[Ors Might]

You know, we have a word for forcing people to pay you money just so that they can safely make a living.

We call it extortion.

[Benuty]

You get the benefits, you pay the dues. This isn't about individual members, this is about providing a stronger front against management, and politics is part of that. Anyone who care's about workers will oppose this bullshit.

I'm big on unions, but I don't think you should have to pay into one you're not a member of.

Then you're not big on unions.

Well perhaps next time something stupid is done it will be resolved like every else tries to do so they don't end up humiliated at the highest level.

[Ors Might]

You get the benefits, you pay the dues. This isn't about individual members, this is about providing a stronger front against management, and politics is part of that. Anyone who cares about workers will oppose this bullshit.

I'm big on unions, but I don't think you should have to pay into one you're not a member of.

Then you're not big on unions.

They can piss right off. No one’s forcing them to argue on my behalf and I don’t want to be forced to give up a portion of my pay so that they can give it to a political party I despise.

[Taihei Tengoku]

I dont normally agree with anti union decisions but this one i do. If your not a part of the union why should you have to pay dues into it?

Because you receive the pay and benefits that are negotiated by the union, whether you are a member or not.

Net tax consumers are not barred from public roads. If unions provide public goods they should be prepared to deal with their goods being non-rivalrous and non-excludable.

[Bears Armed]

In the UK, not only can unions not collect dues from non-members but also the share of the dues that's going for political purposes is clearly identified and union members individually have the right to opt out of that part.

[MERIZoC]

You get the benefits, you pay the dues. This isn't about individual members, this is about providing a stronger front against management, and politics is part of that. Anyone who cares about workers will oppose this bullshit.


Then you're not big on unions.

They can piss right off. No one’s forcing them to argue on my behalf and I don’t want to be forced to give up a portion of my pay so that they can give it to a political party I despise.

Do you generally want more money/benefits?

[Taihei Tengoku]

They can piss right off. No one’s forcing them to argue on my behalf and I don’t want to be forced to give up a portion of my pay so that they can give it to a political party I despise.

Do you generally want more money/benefits?

tammany_hall.txt

[Conserative Morality]

You know, we have a word for forcing people to pay you money just so that they can safely make a living.

We call it extortion.

I thought we called it commerce.

[Ors Might]

They can piss right off. No one’s forcing them to argue on my behalf and I don’t want to be forced to give up a portion of my pay so that they can give it to a political party I despise.

Do you generally want more money/benefits?

I generally want more control over my money. If I can convince my boss to throw in a few benefits, great. But I refuse to pay membership fees just to be allowed to work.

[Ors Might]

You know, we have a word for forcing people to pay you money just so that they can safely make a living.

We call it extortion.

I thought we called it commerce.

Unions are peak capitalism when?

[Benuty]

You know, we have a word for forcing people to pay you money just so that they can safely make a living.

We call it extortion.

I thought we called it commerce.

No that's only when you have a professionally trained army to back you up.