The Economic Policy Institute reports that the U.S. Supreme Court will reconsider the case, Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association, which may require all states to have public-sector open-shop laws. The case involves whether Abood v. Detroit Board of Education should be overruled. The court ruled that union-shop clauses were unenforceable, but upheld public-sector agency-shop clauses. This requires that employees who are not […]

By Marty Mulcahy, Editor, The Building Tradesman LANSING, Mich. –More money to improve Michigan’s crumbling roads and repair its bridges seems to be on the way, as the state House on May 12 adopted a 10-bill package that adds $450 million to the Michigan Department of Transportation budget. But lurking behind that positive action is yet another GOP anti-worker scheme: […]

By Mike Gutwig Editor, The Northwest Labor Press PORTLAND, Ore. –Sponsors of two anti-union initiative petitions — including a so-called right-to-work measure for public employees — agreed to withdraw their measures aimed at the Oregon ballot in November.  In exchange, a labor-backed coalition that sponsored pro-union counter-measures agreed to do the same. The announcement was made March 3 by Gov. […]

By Tim Rowden Editor, The St. Louis Labor Tribune and Press Associates  JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. –Now that the Missouri legislature is in full swing, the extremist Republicans who control the state House are working fast and furious to move their anti-worker anti-union legislation to the General Assembly floor. In late February, the House Workforce Development Committee focused on bills to  […]

By the St. Louis Labor Tribune and Press Associates JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.–Instead of focusing on creating jobs and strengthening Missouri’s economy, Republican leaders in the GOP-run state House of Representatives, under the influence of radical right-wing extremists, have once again filed legislation that would authorize a phony “right-to-work” (for less) law in Missouri. And the extreme Rightist GOP Lieutenant Governor, […]

Recently, misinformation about changes to Michigan’s Public Employment Relations Act (PERA) have added complications to collective bargaining, with unwarranted and illegal restrictions being applied to labor organizations representing school administrators. Enacted in 1965, PERA governs Michigan’s public-sector collective bargaining. In 2011, the legislature added eight prohibited subjects for bargaining, including among other items: placement; standards for layoff and recall; and […]

VANCOUVER, Wash.–Backers of proposed right-to-work initiatives in Oregon and Washington got a taste of what the political fight might look like on Sept. 5 at Clark College in Vancouver, Wash. Then, more than 50 protesters — primarily from construction trades unions — greeted attendees of a strategy session on how to pass right-to-work referendums in Oregon and Washington.  The event […]