In its Janus v. AFSCME decision this past June, the Supreme Court held that it violated the First Amendment for states to force their employees to subsidize the speech of labor unions. But are workers getting the relief that Janus promised? Rather than follow the ruling, some unions have reportedly claimed that members have to take action to opt-out of fee payments and may do so only during opt-out periods months or even years in the future. Others have refused to issue refunds of fees unlawfully collected from non-members. And, despite the opinion's strong language criticizing “exclusive representation” schemes under which a state or school board appoints a union to represent and speak for non-members, unions have continued to insist that they have the right to represent workers who disagree with union positions. These issues and more are currently being played out in state legislatures and litigation across the country. Robert Alt, who is President and CEO of Ohio’s Buckeye Institute, is at the center of it all, leading efforts to protect workers’ rights. He will survey the key issues that have arisen in Janus’s wake, describe the union strategies that keep workers from exercising their rights, discuss the major court cases, and share his thinking on how labor relations are poised to change in the near future.
Featuring:
Mr. Robert Alt, President & CEO, The Buckeye Institute
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