The Supreme Court’s Janus decision, which will come down this Spring or Summer, will have major, long-term implications for CLC-AFO and could very well cost us our union and all its benefits.
WHAT IS THE JANUS DECISION?
- Janus is short for Janus vs AFSCME Council 31, a case pending before the Supreme Court of the United States.
- The Janus case asks the Supreme Court to rule that paying union dues for non-members (called “fair share fees”) is unconstitutional.
Fair share fees are fees paid for by people who don’t want to be a member of a union, but it is believed that they should pay their fair share of the costs of bargaining and maintaining a contract.
- If SCOTUS decides in favor of Janus, current fair share folks would not have to pay dues, BUT WOULD RECEIVE ALL THE BENEFITS AND PROTECTIONS of the CLC-AFO contract (raises, protection, professional growth money, GFO status, etc.).
- They would essentially become “FREELOADERS.”
IMPLICATIONS FOR CLC-AFO
- Currently approximately 50% of our adjunct union are members and 50% are fair share non-members.
- If current members decide to drop their membership and get “free benefits” (which happened in Indiana and Michigan when this passed) CLC-AFO membership will drop below 50% of adjuncts.
- CLC then can and will file an “RM Petition” with the Illinois Education Labor Relations Board to decertify CLC-AFO claiming that we no longer represent the majority of adjunct faculty.
- This would nullify our contract.
- We Will Lose:
- Regular raises, let alone any raises at all
- Personal Days – Paid Time Off
- Advocacy and Job Protection
- There are people with us today because the union was able to advocate for them
- GFO status
- Professional Growth Money
- All the benefits of the contract.
- Our Field Rep Matt LaPierre
- Even if CLC does not petition to decertify CLC-AFO
We will enter negotiations 2019 severely weakened.
What can you do
- If you are fair share join now.
- Talk to other adjuncts and encourage them to join. Tell them why you are a member.
- Refer them to our webpage that will answer many questions or have them contact an officer.
- Brian Smith com652@clcillinois.edu
- Karen Florian KFlorian@CLCILLINOIS.EDU
- Debbie Jasnoch DJasnoch@CLCILLINOIS.EDU
- Mary Turley MTurley@clcillinois.edu
Please follow this link for more information on the Janus Decision.