The U.S. Supreme Court has given to labor and it has taken from labor. In Feb.26, 2018, they will be taking from labor and their decisions will destroy labor’s membership and bankrupt unions financially. The Court could then allow workers who have paid union dues to seek refunds from union dues already paid, which would drive a stake into the heart of labor unions.
After three tries, in 2012, 2014 and 2016, the high court is poised to reverse its own 40 year precedent and strike down the Fair Share Fees as unconstitutional. The 1977 ruling said workers did not have to pay for unions’ political activity. The verdict expected in June of this year would allow workers to pay nothing toward union dues, but still receive the union protections. This could force unions to have to raise union dues on those who remain or lose clout in states, such as California, New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, in the public workers, such as law enforcement, firefighters, teachers, government agency workers and other public employees.
So, what are unions going to do? The best response is for all unions to go on strike and the others engage in sickouts or workers can just put their hands in their pockets. This is just starting and the GOP now smells blood. And from the unions we hear crickets. There’s no plan to fight back, in fact, most workers don’t even know what is going on and how it can effect their livelihoods and that of their families are at stake.
Where is the unions counter message? The corporate-owned GOP is out there trashing unions and passing laws to degrade all the positive unions do for the workers and communities where they exists, but there’s no counter message. Why aren’t unions fighting back? Why haven’t they taken to the television and radio stations and news programs and mailers to get their message out and drum up support?
Why are our unions so silent about this? Why are unions not trying to elect people like Bernie Sanders, who will fight for the people? The unions need a message, like universal healthcare, more unions, free education (like we used to have), a decent minimum wage, universal basic income, job safety, food safety—everything that matters to the working person and their families. Unions are the backbone of the working class and help all workers whether they are union or not.
Have unions lost the will to fight for their rights? If so, why and how can this be changed before it’s too late? Time is running out for the argument for this case will be heard Feb. 26, and a decision by the end of June. There needs to be loud voices against this case otherwise we’ll be hearing the death knell for unions demise.
“The labor movement did not diminish the strength of the nation but enlarged it. By raising the living standards of millions, labor miraculously created a market for industry and lifted the whole nation to undreamed of levels of production. Those who attack labor forget these simple truths ,but history remembers them,” Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech to the AFL-CIO on Dec. 11, 1961.
I hope that I am wrong, but what I see at this time is our unions are going to be in the fight of their existence. This is the most perilous time of our life. The life we had is threatened like never before. Unions are the largest organized group of people who can save our country if things keep going the way they are heading at this time. We need to all stand together for power, but we each must prepare and plan to take care of ourselves and our families. We can fight the big fight and not be distracted by worry about things that can and should already be taken care of. For instance, stashing at least one month’s pay and at least a month or even a year’s worth of food, whether the food is staples (pasta, rice, canned goods) and meat or chicken in the freezer. Keep your vehicles' tanks full and if possible a gas can full. It’s in your best interest to also save money for house or rent payments plus extra. This is not new thinking for us old trade workers who had to prepare when...
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