The Supreme Court Appears Set To Issue Crippling Blow To Public Employee Unions

[LiberalArkie]

By Cristian Farias

WASHINGTON -- A conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court gave every indication on Monday that it is ready and willing to invalidate public unions' right to collect what are known as "fair-share" or agency fees, on the grounds that the mandatory collection violates the free-speech rights of nonunion workers.

A key 1977 ruling had upheld the fees -- which go to the general maintenance of union contracts -- under the First Amendment, but the justices reviewing their validity in Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association seem prepared to turn the page and view them through a stricter lens.

"The problem that's before us is whether or not individuals can be compelled to support political views that they disagree with," said Chief Justice John Roberts, seemingly endorsing the argument that even fees that go to a union's collective bargaining efforts -- which cover every worker, even those who aren't union members -- can impinge on the right to free speech.

Michael Carvin, the lawyer representing the group of California public school teachers challenging the fees, argued repeatedly that such financial contributions "coerce the employee to subsidize" politics he or she doesn't support and goes beyond the core function of supporting collective bargaining for better salaries and other benefits.

Snip

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/supreme-court-public-unions_5693ed2ee4b0a2b6fb70e579

[randys1]

1. If they could take food out of your mouths, clothes off your back, they would.

They hate you if you work for a living, and half or more of those who survive because of unions, think it is the union that is the problem

We are a real dumb bunch

Unions are done, this was guaranteed when W was allowed to steal the WH.

[LiberalArkie]

4. Considering every damn union person I know, mainly IBEW and CWA, always vote R it won't affect them.

but it sure will hit the police and fire unions. I think most of them are mainly R also, at least the few I know. It would be interesting to see how the officers will work out the "shooting the thugs" with no union to back them up.

I think that would be interesting in it self.

[Peregrine Took]

2. Its the ole 1%'ers rearing their ugly heads again. See link:

http://prospect.org/article/whos-behind-friedrichs

[Hortensis]

6. Conspiracies to destroy America's unions are much older

than that. The 1970s. U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Business Round Table, ALEC (which GOP candidate John Kaisich was and is a big part of), and so on.

The unions did much to help destroy themselves, though. I turned down the two best training opportunities that came my way as I was working toward my four-year degree because they required joining corrupted unions and becoming part of a very big problem -- in both places people sitting around on their thumbs much of the day instead of working as they followed union instruction.

I was for unions theoretically and didn't know then that I was part of a giant and fatal falling away of labor support for their own means of empowerment. Abandoning the power to share in the prosperity we created and so mistakenly took for granted. When business organized in the 1970s to attack and destroy union power, we not only did not fight to protect our power, most conservative workers joined the ideological battle to destroy.

Today, of course, with decades of anti-labor propagandizing instilled by ALEC and other anti-labor interests, conservatives are still supporting the repeal of our remaining labor protections and elimination what remains of their own power to organize.

We can blame others all we want, but he enormous taking of power and wealth from the working classes by the 0.001% over the past 40 years could not have happened if we had protected the labor power the generations who came before us fought so hard for.

Anyway, that's how I remember it. Today, it seems amazing that a man of John Kaisich's history could appear in large public gatherings without risking attack. And yet, here he is, actually running for president. A lot of people think they like him.

[Hortensis]

3. Grim, but if it happens, it will force development

of alternatives. And there are alternatives. Unfortunately, it'll also overturn decades of labor law precedents and practices...

[Wellstone ruled]

5. What is failing in the story is

who are the people in this group that is seeking protection. Who are the Lawyers bringing the suit,and have they represented Conservative anti Labor Groups before. No back ground as to who what and were. Are these the same Anti LGBT Orange County Activist?