Sunday, January 6, 2013

Petition: Outlaw 'No Rights At Work'

Here's an idea we can get behind: Repeal the section of the 1947 federal statute that allows states to pass laws that weaken workers' rights.

There's a White House petition here to repeal Section 14(b) of the Taft-Hartley Act. It says, in part,
...when a state passes a right-to-work law, it prohibits both mandatory union membership and initiation fees and dues obligations of agency shops, and permits employees who do not voluntarily pay dues and initiation fees to receive the benefits the union provides. Unions call such people "free riders." 
This law breaks the foundation of the unions, and sets apart further the pay gap between the now uber rich and working poor. This law has nothing to do with " rights at work" but a ploy with a twist of words to break unions. The last resort for a fading Middle Class, that was set by unions.
In reality, mandatory union membership is already illegal. But we like the sentiment.

And for more background on the Taft-Hartley Act, check out this Teamster Magazine story here.