Janus decision is a blow to unions and workers alike

Conservatives on the Supreme Court have indicated for years that they wish to destroy public-sector unions. On Wednesday, they handed down a ruling that aims to do just that. The court ruled in the Janus decision that in public-sector workplaces where unions are present, employees are no longer required to pay union fees. This means that workers can choose to enjoy pensions, raises, and other benefits won by unions through collective bargaining without having to bear any of the cost of those negotiations.

Unions, however, are still required by law to represent nonpaying workers at the bargaining table.

We can safely assume that neither Mark Janus, the plaintiff in the case, nor any other objector to required union fees, are willing to renounce their union-won benefits. They just don’t want to pay for them.

There are always those who want value but do not want to pay for it. But no one benefits when those who take value refuse to contribute.

Over time, as more workers refuse to pay union fees, unions will become weaker and may be forced to provide fewer services for their employees. Considering the crucial role unions have historically played in raising living standards for millions of Americans and creating a middle class, attempts at weakening them will only further contribute to stagnant wage growth and rising income inequality.