The largest union of federal government workers warned Wednesday that benefits it helped win for government employees could soon disappear, in light of a Supreme Court ruling that said workers can’t be forced to support organized labor.
“[T]he Supreme Court has issued a decision that jeopardizes union rights and protections for millions of public-sector workers at the state and local levels, and here in the District of Columbia,” said J. David Cox Sr., national president of the American Federation of Government Employees.
AFGE backed the position that public-sector unions can collect “fair-share fees” from workers who aren’t in a union, since those workers benefit from contracts that are negotiated by the union.
But the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that non-members can’t be compelled to support a union.
AFGE said that ruling is an attempt to “strike the death knell” for public-sector unions, but said unions can be saved if everyone who benefits from them joins.
“If you’re covered by the union contract but you don’t belong to the union, it’s time to join your union and pay for the benefits you receive — because those benefits could vanish tomorrow unless workers take a stand and fight for their rights at the worksite,” Cox said.
The AFL-CIO also criticized the decision as one that “abandons decades of commonsense precedent.”
“In this case, a bare majority of the court, over the vigorous dissent of four justices, has conceded to the dark web of corporations and wealthy donors who wish to take away the freedoms of working people,” said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. “Until it is overturned, this decision will be a political stain on what is intended to be the most honorable, independent body in the world.”
