United Steelworkers legislative advocate Alison Reardon spoke to attendees at the Public Employee Program’s staff representative training this week in Pittsburgh about possible detrimental ramifications of the Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association case argued last month before the U.S. Supreme Court.
To Reardon, and to most in the labor field, this case is part of the right-wing strategy to dismantle the middle class and uproot progressive establishments.
“There is a very big campaign in this country to decimate unions,” Reardon told the attendees. “It’s about defunding the labor movement.”
The case, likely to be decided at the end of June, involves the petitioners (Friedrichs) alleging that public-sector employees should not have to pay fair share fees to the union that represents them. They contend their First Amendment right to free speech is violated by the fee requirement because their salaries and other benefits are paid for by tax dollars and therefore all union activity affecting them is political.
If ruled in Friedrichs’ favor, the Court will essentially establish the United States as a right-to-work nation for all public-sector workers. These employees will be able to reap the benefits unions negotiate for them without paying for the cost of bargaining.
Reardon explained how right-wing leaders and CEOs have been using political and legal strategies like this Supreme Court case to limit or completely abolish the labor movement and simultaneously increase the power and wealth of those at the top.
“As we lose our political power, the top 10 percent is gaining,” Reardon said.
To battle these attacks, Reardon stressed the importance of educating our members, as well as others in the community, on the benefits unions provide and sharing the story of labor to keep it alive.
“If we aren’t there, who’s going to represent workers and progressive causes?” Reardon said. “This is a fight for the middle class.”