“Fair share” dues are for paid for receiving the benefits of union negotiations. A current case before the Supreme Court, Friedrichs v. CTA, is challenging as an inappropriate requirement of employees these portion of union dues that go into negotiating and representing workers, who then all share in the benefits of that negotiating and representing.
The very idea of uniting to work together for the common good of the employees is violated when everyone would benefit from negotiations paid for by only some. We usually call those “freeloaders.”
Beyond this basic sense of fairness, we can see this court challenge is one more attempt to break unions, break them financially at the very time that 99% of new income since the 2008 recovery has gone to the top 1%.
Unions were created to BALANCE this inequity. And people were killed in the fight for the right to unite together to require such basics as safe working conditions and fair pay for a fair day’s labor. No business owner could make a penny without the work of those employed. Conscientious employers make sure their employees share in the rewards of the market. Those employers who are focused, for whatever reason, only on their profits need to be required to take into consideration the human beings, and their families, who serve with them.
The very idea of uniting to work together for the common good of the employees is violated when everyone would benefit from negotiations paid for by only some. We usually call those “freeloaders.”
Beyond this basic sense of fairness, we can see this court challenge is one more attempt to break unions, break them financially at the very time that 99% of new income since the 2008 recovery has gone to the top 1%.
Unions were created to BALANCE this inequity. And people were killed in the fight for the right to unite together to require such basics as safe working conditions and fair pay for a fair day’s labor. No business owner could make a penny without the work of those employed. Conscientious employers make sure their employees share in the rewards of the market. Those employers who are focused, for whatever reason, only on their profits need to be required to take into consideration the human beings, and their families, who serve with them.
“Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.” |
Some employees take for granted decent pay, paid sick and vacation days, the 40 hour work day, safe work conditions, and so much more that was gained by a united demand. In that complacency, these employees may think they can save a few bucks short term and trust they will be taken good care of by their employers without having to chip in to cover the costs of balancing unequal power levels.
I am disturbed by this increasing imbalance in financial and political power, and I will fight hard for the workers right to effectively unite.
I am disturbed by this increasing imbalance in financial and political power, and I will fight hard for the workers right to effectively unite.
RSS Feed