Washington, D.C. –(ENEWSPF)—June 30, 2014. Today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a narrow 5-4 decision in Harris v. Quinn that eliminates “fair share” fee arrangements for Illinois home healthcare workers. The decision does not affect those arrangements for other public employees such as teachers, hospital nurses or clerical workers. Under “fair share” fee arrangements, workers pay the cost of negotiating for their benefits even if they choose not join a union. Rep. Jan Schakowsky released the following statement on this ruling:
“Home care workers and the seniors and people with disabilities they serve were dealt a harsh blow by today’s Supreme Court ruling in Harris v. Quinn. Home care workers – like all workers – deserve the right to join together to fight for living wages, benefits and safe working conditions. By a narrow, one-vote margin, the Supreme Court has acted to take away that right.
Illinois crafted a process that has been working well for people with disabilities, seniors and home care workers. Illinois has given everyone a voice – consumers and workers – in creating a system that is responsive to the growing need for home care and provides better wages and overtime protections for home care workers. At a time when 10,000 people a day turn 65 and our state is focusing on expanding home- and community-based care, the Court’s decision makes it harder to recruit the committed and skilled workers we need to take care of our loved ones.
The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, which is funded by out-of-state billionaires like Charles Koch and members of the Walton family, brought this case forward. Five Supreme Court justices may have bought their arguments, but I do not. I will continue to work with Illinois home care workers, people with disabilities and seniors to respect the rights and needs of home care workers and home care consumers.”
Source: Schakowsky.house.gov
