Right to Work Legislation

lour441

Lour444, if you're still paying attention, here's an article from Forbes that says something different than what you said (i think) about RTW. It basically says that RTW laws being pushed today will force unions to offer non-union members all of the benefits of a union (collective bargaining, legal representation) without having to pay a single penny, including any fair use fee. The non-paying person could even turn around and sue the union if they felt they didn't do a good enough job of representing them, even though it was free.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2012/12/11/right-to-work-laws-explained-debunked-demystified/

I read the article. It seems to back up my argument. Perhaps you can quote the part that says a non-union employee does not have to pay a "fair share" fee for the collective bargaining, etc. that the union provides.

Brunner26_2

I read the article. It seems to back up my argument. Perhaps you can quote the part that says a non-union employee does not have to pay a "fair share" fee for the collective bargaining, etc. that the union provides.

From page 2 of the article:

While even a Republican controlled Congress could recognize the inherent fairness of requiring non-member workers to contribute to the unions in return for getting all the benefits of membership via the ‘agency fee’, the law managed to create a loophole that would allow the states to do away with agency fees altogether—if that was their desire.

That loophole is what we now know as ‘right to work’ laws—laws that permit non-union member employees to continue to get all the benefits of union representation and protection, as is still the requirement of federal law, without having to pay so much as a penny in return for these benefits.

My understanding is that the non-union workers in RTW states get every benefit without ever having to pay anything. How do you interpret that part?

treetop57

That SEIU Local 503 website is discussing the situation in Oregon, which is not a so-called "Right to Work" state. So-called "Right to Work" laws prohibit payment of "fair share" fees as a condition of employment.

Even in non-so-called-Right-to-Work states, employees in a union shop or agency shop can pay only the cost of union representation and negotiation and opt out of political contributions. No one has to quit their job in order to avoid supporting political candidates or issues with which they disagree. Of course, whether employees represented by a union have to opt-in or opt-out of political contributions is a contentious issue in non-so-called-Right-to-Work states like California. Seems like we have a question about that issue on the ballot every six months or so!

treetop57

What that SEIU site calls "fair share fees" are legally known as "agency fees." Prohibiting agency fees is the heart of the new Michigan so-called Right to Work law.

In the absence of a state right-to-work law, a collective bargaining agreement may include a provision for what is called "agency fees," "union security," or (by its critics) "forced dues." All three terms refer to the same basic thing: All workers covered by the contract must either join the union and pay the associated dues or remain out of the union and pay an agency fee, typically equal to regular membership dues.

Under a right-to-work law, a collective bargaining agreement cannot require an agency fee for nonmembers covered by a union contract. Opponents of right-to-work laws argue that this puts unions in the untenable position of being obligated to represent workers who may choose not to contribute to the costs of providing that representation.

http://www.mackinac.org/9966

Brunner26_2

Maybe it would be better if the unions weren't legally obligated to offer certain services non-union employees, such as legal representation.

MaraDiaz

Work smarter, not harder??!

Workers should be fairly compensated and treated respectfully regardless of IQ. I suppose I could argue that until that day comes, they should take your advice by quitting their sub-living-wage jobs and take up robbing banks and dealing drugs. It is, after all, working smarter.