Dear SHARE member,
As you may know, on February 26, 2017, arguments begin in the U.S. Supreme Court Case, Janus vs AFSCME Council 31, perhaps the most important labor case of 21st century. This lawsuit has the potential to hurt millions of public sector union members, including childcare workers, healthcare workers, firefighters, paramedics, public school teachers, and public university employees, among others. Although it won’t have direct impact on our union in the hospital, the ruling will have significance for our sister SHARE union at UMass Medical School.
The case is spearheaded by The National Right to Work Foundation (NRTWF), an anti-union group funded largely by CEOs and corporate interest groups. Their goal is to weaken unions and take away the bargaining power of workers. In many states where the "right-to-work" agenda has succeeded, employee wages and benefits are shrinking – not only among public workers, but among private sector workers as well. Many "right-to-work" states have some of the highest poverty rates in the country, as well as some of the largest gender wage-gaps, particularly among people of color. If the NRTWF succeeds in winning this Supreme Court case, it could have a devastating effect on the American middle class, as [SHARE%20co-president%20Jay%20Hagan%20addressed%20the%20subject%20in%20this%20recent%20letter-to-the-editor%20in%20the%20Telegram%20&%20Gazette.]SHARE Co-President Jay Hagan at UMass Memorial points out in this recent letter-to-the-editor in the Telegram & Gazette.
MORE INFORMATION ON THE CASE AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE:
- Brief summary of the Janus case (AFSCME)
- More detailed video and FAQ on the Janus case (AFSCME)
- Fewer Unions, Lower Pay for Everyone (Alana Semuels, The Atlantic)
- IMF Agrees: Decline of union power has increased income inequality (Muchael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times)