Supreme Court Case Threatens to Make It Harder for Public Service Workers to Speak Up for Better Services and the Wages and Protections that Benefit All Americans

The U.S. Supreme Court has added a case to its docket (Janus vs AFSCME) that is critical to the future of public employees.

The lead plaintiff, Mark Janus, is a child support worker in Illinois who argues his free speech rights are being violated by the requirement that he pay an agency fee, even though he chose not to join the union and does not support its political views and positions.

With President Donald Trump's appointment of conservative-leaning Justice Neil Gorsuch, many expect the court to rule in favor of the plaintiff and against public employee unions.

If the Supreme Court rules that mandatory agency fees are unconstitutional, it would allow members and agency fee payers to avoid paying their fair share for the benefits of representation and collective bargaining.

Unions are obligated by law to provide services and representation equally to everyone in a bargaining unit. If members can get those services for free, some may decide not to pay for them. That scenario could weaken unions' bargaining power and political clout.

While awaiting a decision in the Janus case, SEIU Local 888 isn't sitting quietly on the sidelines. Local 888 staff and leaders are training member leaders to talk with their coworkers about the importance of union membership and about the negative consequences of being a "freerider." Local 888 is participating in a program, "Together We Rise" sponsored by the International Union to improve our data and communications systems and develop hundreds of new member leaders.

For more information contact your Local 888 chapter chair or union representative.

SEIU Local 888, 25 Braintree Hill Office Park, Suite 306, Braintree, MA 02184

(617) 241-3300, FAX (617) 241-3303

Email: myunion@seiu888.org

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