Do they force public employees to join unions in Wisconsin?

[Bennyboy]

The current right wing meme...

[ProgressiveProfessor]

1. It is not a so called Right to Work state, so at least agency fees are requried

[Bennyboy]

2. Well California is not a RTW state either

but you can choose to not join the union.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

3. But you would still have to pay agency fees

[Bennyboy]

4. Okay.

what does that mean? They are not part of the union but pay dues anyway?

How much of this is the fight in Wisco about?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

5. It goes something like this

Even if there is a union contract in place, you can choose not to be a member of the union. You do not get union benefits, no voting in union elections, etc. You are also not subject to union discipline should you choose to be a scab. You do not pay full dues, but you have to pay for representation costs, those are called agency fees (no free loading). Actual amount charged will need to be justified.

If you want to read further on this (EVIL SITE WARNING) go to http://nrtw.org Here is their example with the Calif Teachers Assoc: http://nrtw.org/d/rctunctaa.htm (/EVIL SITE WARNING)

One of the legal precedents for this is Communications Workers v. Beck (1988)

[Kurovski]

6. What do the right wing care?

The pukers force rightwingers into joining the stupid.

Six of one, half dozen of another.

[backscatter712]

7. If unions are bargaining for your wages and pushing your pay up,

not helping them out financially by paying for a service they provide that you use is freeloading.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

8. There would at least be agency fees

[old mark]

9. Here in PA, we have public service employees unions-ALL workers are either

members-by choice- and pay dues or pay a "fair share"-a bit less than membership dues-if they choose not to join. The idea behind this is that ALL state employees get the benefits and salary decided by the union contracts. Those who choose NOT to be members pay less, because they do not get to vote on contracts, and do not get other benefits that union members do, such as lunch at monthly union meetings.
Members get representation at any disciplinary hearing with management, non-members do not.

So non-members share in the benefits the unions help us all get, and many complain bitterly about paying a few dollars a month for them.

This whole thing is about political power, not about "freedom of choice".


mark
retired AFSCME steward