Governor Bruce Rauner will be on hand at the U.S. Supreme Court Monday for oral arguments in a case that could dramatically affect labor unions around the country… including the ones representing state workers.
Plaintiff Mark Janus is a state worker who took a union job… and was assessed “fair share” fees to cover the cost of representing him. He argues that the practice violates his First Amendment rights by forcing him to support an organization that he disagrees with politically. A high court ruling in favor of Janus could weaken the power and influence of unions.
An Illinois union is filing a pre-emptive lawsuit, ahead of Monday’s oral arguments in the U.S. Supreme Court over so-called fair share fees. Many observers think the high court will ban the practice of requiring workers in a union shop to at least pay some union fees to cover costs of representing those workers in bargaining and grievances.
Now Operating Engineers Local 150 is suing, saying if that happens, then unions should no longer be subjected to laws requiring them to represent everyone in a bargaining unit, even those that don’t become union members.