SOAR, Rapid Response,

We Owe it to Them

I have written before about the impact that court appointees can and will have on all of us and our children and grandchildren. A decision by the Supreme Court that was recently handed down in a case referred to as “Janus” by a 5 to 4 decision, illustrates this. The President’s recent appointee made the difference that upended a decade of precedent regarding public employees paying a “fair share” to their unions.

It is clear that this decision is anti-union and anti-worker and is intended to reduce funding to the union. These employees will receive all the benefits that the Union negotiates and are protected by the terms of the collective bargaining but don’t have to pay their fair share -“freeloaders.”

Isn’t it ironic that the same people who oppose individuals receiving something for nothing, are okay with individuals getting the benefits of unions and collective bargaining without having to pay to support getting those benefits? Further, they rationalize in the decision that it has something to do with “free speech” and the First Amendment. Think about that. Such logic could be argued that I shouldn’t have to pay taxes passed by politicians I disagree with. How absurd. 

But, we know the real reason is to undermine unions and worker rights. We are already dealing with the adversity of right-to-work laws.

This is just a further example of the number of adverse issues that the current political situation is creating and why we must stand up and fight back. And we must protect retirement benefits, Medicare and Social Security.

I am impressed with what Rapid Response, Next Generation and SOAR are doing to stand up and fight back. Please get involved; these organizations give us the structure to be active and organized to confront these anti-union, anti-worker attacks. We owe it to our children and grandchildren.

Bill Gibbons, PACE Representative