DES MOINES — The nation’s highest court dealt a blow to public sector labor unions – that some say are strangling state budgets – and liberals are furious and blaming Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley and the latest appointment to the Supreme Court for the massive setback.
Thursday, the United State Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in Janus v. AFSCME that nonmembers of public-sector unions cannot be forced to pay fees to cover representation and services from which they allegedly benefit. Some say the tidy pensions and other benefits procured by these powerful public unions, including higher pay than private sector jobs pay in many cases, have crippled state budgets.
Iowa Citizen Action Network Executive Director Sue Dinsdale, One Iowa Executive Director Daniel Hoffman-Zinnel, Americans for Democratic Action Iowa Director Chris Schwartz, and Progress Iowa Executive Director Matt Sinovic issued the following joint statement on behalf of Why Courts Matter Iowa in response:
“Two years ago, Senator Grassley committed unprecedented obstruction and stole a Supreme Court seat. Today, that stolen seat provided a one vote margin to strip away the rights of workers.”
“With one ruling, the court has created new law and made the entire United States public sector workforce ‘right to work for less’. By reversing longstanding precedent set in the Abood case of 1977, today’s decision prevents unions from collecting fair-share fees from non-members who benefit from representation by the union, as well as collective bargaining that can improve working conditions, benefits, and wages.”
“Elections have consequences, and the efforts of Senator Grassley and his colleagues to politicize the courts is apparent in today’s ruling. We will continue to speak out against Senator Grassley’s turning the judicial branch in to his partisan, political playground. And we will work side by side with working families and their allies for the constitutional rights of every worker.”
Grassley and other Republicans helped turn away appointments to the Supreme Court from former President Barack Obama, but helped usher in a conservative to the court in Neil Gorsuch, which tipped the court to the right.
The Why Courts Matter Iowa coalition is allegedly focused on ensuring that the federal judiciary is representative of America’s diverse population so that every American can have his or her day in court. Why Courts Matter Iowa is led by Iowa Citizen Action Network, Americans for Democratic Action Iowa, Progress Iowa, and One Iowa.
DACA
Democrats Against Children of America!
These are the same people who as a child wouldn’t take NO from their parent(s) which would give in and would never spank their children. What an in justice. Now look how foolish liberals act as adults.
The Liberal Controlers hate that their losing control of everything ! And now the working deplorables really have a voice against the unions and socialist creeps. Keep up your good work Chuck.
This ruling is insignificant The fact that you are not “forced” to pay dues to Public Unions will not change the fact that “public employees” can’t continue to pay dues. It is still a free country.
This ruling WILL separate the wheat from the chaff. Public employees will find out who really IS supportive of their Iowa Public Employee Unions.
If it comes to pass that Public Employees in mass do not voluntarily pay dues for their representation, then the message we take away has to be those that do not pay don’t feel the representation they receive is worth.
I think I also read that also included in the ruling that Public Employees can refuse to have their dues used as political donations without their consent. We will have to wait and see if that interpretation holds. I hope this also is true!
Only time will tell, and that would be a good thing.
Iowa is a right to work state. It has been since 1947. Public employees do not have to pay dues if they are not members of the union. They can if they choose but the majority choose not to. They can make up as many reasons as they want for not joining but, for the most part, is because they are more concerned about their own welfare than the public good. They like the idea of benefitting from the bargaining but don’t like the idea of paying for that bargaining. Now, the Iowa legislature has done away with bargaining for most areas that were part of a contract we will see how receptive the school boards are to keeping their teachers happy. This ruling doesn’t really affect Iowans but it will have repercussions in Iowa.
EEHAAAAA ! Remember when the pubic servants use to work for the private sector (producers – private citizens? ) Put themselves in charge of themselves and the rest of the taxpayers who pay their cushy wages and benefits.
What a load of baloney. Yes Grassley did help to delay a supreme pic, but that action was not without precedent so it is long past time to get over that. Second, if unions are going to expect to speak politically for all workers that is not fair to those who disagree with the unions political position. Unions have enjoyed that ability for a long time. The time has come to end that.
Only libs would think workers should be forced to pay dues to keep their jobs. Then that money is funneled right back to the democrats through campaign contributions. What a racket!
And I been paying $790 a year in extra taxes for other people health insurance and don’t even have any for myself. So, kick their teeth in SOB’s, freeloading, kicking and screaming, whiny, troublemakers. Go straight to hell, do not pass go. How does a President go from about 2 million in assets when entering office and leaves with a cool 30 million on about $250,000 yearly salary. By the way I’m charging high interest until I get my money back! #%!&@
Farm futures, teachers pay, abortion laws, all going down the toilet. Motorcycles making a B line to Thailand, Canada freeloading out the window, European free cash on the line, and all the while Terry the ambassador to China is drinking the best scotch on the market. I do say “well played Terry”. lmoa
I like Chuck. He did some good things for Iowa over the years. But I like the Senator from Iowa, Joni Ernst, better! lol
In Iowa you can choose to be in the public union or not. I never joined because I knew my dues would go straight to the demcrap party !!!