Nothing Was a Gift

February 6th 2017 - Right to Work - What Is It?

There is a whole narrative on what it is, but I’ll give you the short version. 

Working people in "Right to Work" states do not have to pay dues to their union yet still receive all the wages, benefits and working conditions a union has negotiated "as a condition of employment".  In fact, in “Right to Work” states it isn’t even possible to negotiate a requirement that everyone pay their fair share.

In "Free Bargaining States" such as Washington State, you and your union can require everyone working at a company to pay the same as everyone else for all the rights and benefits in a contract as a "condition of employment". In other words, if you do not pay the same in dues as all your co-workers, you cannot work here. This has also been referred to as a “Union Shop”.

There are many Corporate and Wealthy funded entities created to get "Right to Work" laws passed in every state in the nation. Their sole objective is to kill off unions so the Corporate and Wealthy owners can do whatever they want. If they are successful, it is quite possible that all unions will be decimated into oblivion. If unions go away, what will you have?

Kings and Servants?

You might say that can't happen, but without unions, who will have the resources, the organizational structure and the money to keep these Corporations and Wealthy owners in check?

There are currently 28 states of the 50 which are Right to Work
states. Wages, hours and working conditions are generally much, much worse in these 28 states.

Elections have Consequences

You've heard that term before, but in this case, when one party or the other appoints Supreme Court Justices, those Justices tend to support that particular parties agenda. Currently the Republican Party's President has appointed a Supreme Court Justice who is expected to issue a negative Janus decision which will essentially bring "Right to Work" for all Public Sector union workers.

Why should we care if we are Private Sector?

Once a decision is made in the Janus situation (Spring 2018), you can very well expect the current political party holding all three branches of government, to make Right to Work Nationwide. This threatens to decimate your union and eventually affect your bottom line. It will drive down your wages and get rid of the many rights negotiated over decades by you and those before you.

I AM Union by choice and all workers should have the freedom to join together because there is power in numbers.

Ed