Editorial: Coercion a Power Union Officials "Never Should Have Enjoyed in the First Place"

Justin Hakes — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 10:25:45 -0500

And speaking of which, a Las Vegas Review-Journal editorial today highlights the National Right to Work Foundation's recent work at the U.S. Supreme Court. The paper notes of the Locke case the High Court took up yesterday:

"The case is the latest instance of the justices addressing issues that could erode the power of labor unions," noted The Associated Press.

Yet, if limiting the ability of organized labor to use coercion to fund its agenda erodes union power, it's power these groups never should have enjoyed in the first place.

Couldn't have put it better ourselves. The AP also notes that the Foundation's 14 U.S. Supreme Court cases have all been "targeting unions," but fails to mention that every single case was on behalf of employees that wanted nothing to do with them.

No one should be forced to join or pay dues to an unwanted union, and that principle is at the very heart of each case the Foundation takes up.

Foundation-Won U.S. Supreme Court Ruling Resonates on the Strip in Las Vegas

Justin Hakes — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 09:49:00 -0500

A Las Vegas Review-Journal editorial today highlights the importance of the National Right to Work Foundation's Beck U.S. Supreme Court victory:

That ruling -- Communication Workers v. Beck -- is soundly grounded in the First Amendment. No one can be required to hand over money to someone else, if those funds will then be used to promote political views or causes which are anathema to the person whose money is being used.

Unfortunately, union officials commonly ignore and violate that principle, as borne out by the number of Beck enforcement cases the Foundation has. However, the article recognizes that as a Right to Work state, employees can go beyond cutting off union dues for politics.

Because no Nevadan can be required to join a union just to get or keep his or her job, disgusted union members here have an even more effective option. They can keep their jobs and quit the union.

With union officials in this context squabbling over which candidate to support, employees in Nevada deserve to know that they can not only cut off their dues going towards union political activities- they are free to pay none at all.