BURLINGTON, Vt., June 30 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement today after the Supreme Court ruled that some home health care workers cannot be required to pay fees to cover the costs of collective bargaining:
“Today’s Supreme Court decision by Justice Alito and four other extreme right-wing Republicans is another attack on the rights of workers to collectively bargain for higher wages and decent benefits. Make no mistake: this decision will lead to an increase in income inequality, a further decline in the wages of middle-class workers and an increase in poverty.
“Over the past decade, the wages of both union and non-union home health aides in Illinois have nearly doubled as a result of collective bargaining. At a time when the number of home health care jobs is expected to increase by about 70 percent over the next decade, we should be making it easier, not harder, for these workers to make a decent living.
“As bad as this 5-4 decision is, it could have been a lot worse. While the Supreme Court diminished the rights of home health aides, it did not impede the ability of other public sector employees to have an effective voice at the bargaining table. I look forward to working with my colleagues to strengthen the collective bargaining rights of all workers when the Senate gets back in session.”
Contact: Michael Briggs (202) 224-5141
Unbelievably Stupid or a Calculated Decision
The ripple effect will undermine other unions, just wait and see. They are determined to bring a full on oligarchy. There’s a push to bring the US workers’ standards as low as possible. So start with those who already make the least money in the health fields- home health aides. They’ve only begun organizing, after all. Easy to break them.
Bully
It simply states that non-union workers don’t have to be forced to pay union fees.. Seems a straight forward freedom of choice, speach, religion issue. The problem here is the SEIU is a major democratic supporter and bully.
That would be great
if non-union workers were forced by their choice to negotiate their own contracts. The problem here is that corporations are major Republican supporters and international bullies.