New Mexico stops deducting unconstitutional union fees from state employees

By Mailee Smith

08/27/2018

The state of New Mexico has taken steps to comply with the Janus v. AFSCME decision by stopping all union dues and fees until members sign new authorizations. Illinois should follow suit.

TAGS: agency fees, fair share, Janus v. AFSCME, New Mexico

Hundreds of educators stop paying money to Chicago Teachers Union following Janus decision

By Mailee Smith

08/23/2018

At least 300 Chicago Public Schools employees have stopped paying fees to the Chicago Teachers Union after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled they could not be forced to pay the union just to keep their jobs.

TAGS: agency, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, fair share, Janus v. AFSCME, labor

New Jersey school district stops deducting unconstitutional union fees from all employees

By Mailee Smith

08/14/2018

One school district in New Jersey has stopped deducting union dues and fees until it has new authorizations from employees to do so – a step in line with what the U.S. Supreme Court demanded of state and local government employers and government unions in Janus v. AFSCME. Illinois governments should follow suit.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, agency fees, fair share, Janus v. AFSCME, labor, New Jersey

Missouri’s right-to-work vote: Boon or boondoggle?

By Austin Berg

08/09/2018

Without right-to-work protections currently offered in 27 states, you pay the union or lose your job. It’s very simple.

TAGS: eric greitens, labor, missouri, right to work, unions

Chicago, Cook County employees will see more money in their paychecks

By Mailee Smith

07/19/2018

At least 730 Cook County and 646 Chicago employees have been freed from paying forced union fees following the Janus v. AFSCME decision.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, agency fees, fair share, income tax, Janus v. AFSCME, taxes

Janus decision means some Illinois state workers effectively see 2017 tax hike reversed

By Adam Schuster

07/19/2018

The 2017 permanent income tax hike took $732 from the median Illinois household, roughly the same as the $737 that will be returned to state workers who were previously forced to pay “fair share” fees to government unions.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, agency fees, budget, fair share, income tax, Janus v. AFSCME, taxes

Just 20% of AFSCME Council 31 spending goes toward representing workers

By Mailee Smith

07/17/2018

The union’s own reporting shows only 20 percent of its overall spending is on “representational activities,” which should cause members to question what they are paying for.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, Janus v. AFSCME, Spending

Illinois state workers who opted out of union membership see pay increases

By Mailee Smith

07/13/2018

State workers previously paying “fair share” fees no longer have money deducted from their paychecks on behalf of a union.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, agency fees, fair share, Janus v. AFSCME, unions

Government unions cry foul over Janus, but ignore solution to ‘free rider’ claims

By Mailee Smith

07/05/2018

A bill freeing government unions from representing nonmember workers has been filed multiple times in recent years. But rather than rally around it, government unions stand in the way.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, agency fees, fair share, Janus v. AFSCME, right to work

Illinois state workers who opted out of union should see pay hikes by July

By Mailee Smith, Joe Tabor

06/29/2018

The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Janus v. AFSCME means state workers previously paying “fair share” fees will no longer see any money deducted from their paychecks on behalf of a union.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, agency fees, fair share, Janus v. AFSCME, state worker pay