Supreme Court to Begin Hearing Case That Could Cripple Unions
The U.S. Supreme Court will begin hearing arguments in a lawsuit that could cripple unions and erode workers rights on Monday. The lawsuit, Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, centers on whether or not public sector unions can collect dues from non-members that benefit from collective bargaining agreements and union representation. The case began in 2015 when Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner attempted to halt the passage of union fees. The resulting lawsuit between an Illinois social worker, Mark Janus and AFSCME could financially cripple unions. "It could be devastating to collective bargaining in government, and devastating to all employees who want union representation," said Paula Voos, a labor professor at Rutgers University. The Court is expected to make its decision by June, and there is a high probability it will rule in Janus’ favor, an outcome that Rauner, along with large corporations and other conservative organizations like the National Right to Work Foundation, are hoping for. (CBS)