compulsory union fees

[badgolferman]

A $45 monthly fee could end up costing big labor billions. Public unions are getting nervous, while those who don?t like how they operate are claiming the free lunch may be over soon.

An explosive case regarding government employees and the First Amendment that the Supreme Court will hear on Feb. 26 could redefine the relationship between public unions and workers.

Petitioner Mark Janus works at the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services and didn?t like that a certain amount was deducted from his paycheck ? he didn?t believe he should be forced to pay union dues or fees just to be allowed to work for the state. He didn?t agree with the 1.3 million-member AFSCME union?s politics, and so believed, under the First Amendment, he couldn?t be forced to contribute.

In his court filing, Janus quotes Thomas Jefferson, who said to ?compel a man to furnish contribution of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves, is sinful and tyrannical.?

[badgolferman]

Sorry, wrong group.

[Oren]

No worry. The subject has more meat on the bone than most threads now days. I carried my health insurance into retirement. It pisses me I'm compelled to pay a yearly "union does" of $25 just to have Mail Handlers insurance.

When new prospective public service employees are hired, the Union is like vultures on a dead cow. Sign this, join the union.... Spit.

Bet a nickel SCOTUS comes down 5-4 against "compulsory".

[Frank]

I'm generally anti-union but know they have done some good stuff in the private sector.

Totally against public unions. Who are they organized against? The public, that's who.

[hubops]

I've known a couple people who - for legitimate religious reasons - were able to opt-out of paying compulsory dues to the Union. They still had to pay - but it went to the charity of their choice. ... not a bad compromise, under our labour laws. John T.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Its not 1930 any more. If it was, I'd be a union organizer as they were needed back then and did a lot of good. By 1960 they became a drain on society taking money from members and protecting lazy workers. I have many stories from union negotiations.

I'd never join one and have them hold me back. I'll do my own negotiating.

[Wade Garrett]

As for company vs. union employee loyalty, I advise my corporate clients to periodically tell their employees to closely inspect their paycheck. They will note that it's issued by the company, not by the union.

[Frank]

Many years ago when I was an exempt staff member I was appointed to a site committee to aid in educating workers on the business. The HR head of this committee said the best thing was the threat of the union that caused this action and the second best thing was non-exempts rejecting the union.

Big company had many plant unions but union workers were no better off than non-union.