Supreme Court Deals a Blow to Home Care Workers
X post in Labor
http://labornotes.org/2014/06/supreme-court-deals-blow-home-care-workers
June 30, 2014 / Samantha Winslow
The Supreme Court in Harris v. Quinn has struck down agency fees for Illinois's home care union, finding the workers to be only "quasi-public employees." Home care workers provide in-home care to elderly and disabled clients. Above, members occupied a Washington state agency office in 2012 to protest cuts to services for their clients. Photo: SEIU Healthcare 775NW. - See more at:
http://labornotes.org/2014/06/supreme-court-deals-blow-home-care-workers#sthash.T2a1TG9J.dpuf
Unions were bracing for the worst: a Supreme Court decision that could have created a national right to work policy for the entire public sector.
That didnt happen. The courts decision in Harris v. Quinn this morning was narrower.
But it will still be a hard hit on the unions that have staked their futures on unionizing the rapidly growing home care sector, notably AFSCME and the Service Employees (SEIU).
Home care workers care for elderly and disabled patients. Some are placed through state agencies, while others care for their own relatives. Either way, getting the care at home keeps people out of nursing homes and other costly institutions.
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FULL story at link.