Will the Supreme Court Deal a Blow to Trade Unions?
Of all the blockbuster cases at the Supreme Court this year, Janus v American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) is expected to hold the fewest surprises, according to The Economist.
Janus, which is due to be argued on Feb. 26, asks whether public employees who choose not to join their designated union may nevertheless be charged “agency fees” to support collective bargaining. Non-members of a union may be required to subsidize contract negotiations over salary, benefits and working conditions. But those workers can’t be charged fees for a union’s political efforts, such as lobbying.
The Economist explains: “Janus is at bottom a bid to undermine America’s labour movement. The case is not presented that way; it arrives at the Supreme Court in First Amendment wrapping by express invitation from Justice Samuel Alito in a pair of recent cases.”