A local union representative believes contracts with Poplar Bluff city employees will not be impacted following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling Wednesday. The court ruled government workers who choose not to join unions may not be required to help pay for collective bargaining.
Missouri contracts can include "mandatory fair share payer" agreements, said Mark Baker, a representative with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 702. IBEW represents two unions within Municipal Utilities, and is working with members of the police department who wish to organize.
If a fair share agreement is in place, participation is required and all employees must pay a percentage of costs, he said. If it is not, participation is not required.
Neither existing IBEW unions for the city of Poplar Bluff include these agreements, which Baker believes will be rendered void by the Supreme Court ruling.
"We have not really pursued fair share language (in Poplar Bluff)," Baker said, because all employees elected to become full union members.
While the city is not currently effected, Baker does not agree with the ruling.
"Me personally, I think this is just an attempt to weaken the voice of the workers," Baker said.
Union membership has been growing at a record pace the last several years, Baker said, especially among younger workers.
"I think this was an attempt to slow down our momentum as much as they could legally," he said.
Baker went on to say he believed Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., wanted to hear this case and is "an activist judge and likes to overturn previous decisions."
This case, Baker said, was effectively decided in 1977 in Abood vs. Detroit Board of Education.
"I personally think it's very dangerous for any Supreme Court to overturn a previous Supreme Court decision, because basically it leaves all your decisions open for future reversal," he said.
Chairman of the Butler County Republican Central Committee and Chair of the Eighth Congressional Republican Central Committee Eddy Justice views the ruling as a victory for freedom.
"Anytime somebody is working for a living and they are forced to give up part of that living in order to support a political party, that is dynamically opposed to their foundational beliefs, is the opposite of freedom," Justice said. "This allows people to make the choice of who they want to support in the political realm."
Justice added he believes this decision will force unions to become more efficient and better serve members since they now have a choice of whether or not to join.
Baker agreed the decision would spark union engagement with its members, if it is not already in place.
"If unions out there are not engaging with members, and sitting back and relying on fair share payers to keep the money coming in, this will spur them to activity and continuing to prove to our members there is a value to becoming a full union member," he said.
The Poplar Bluff Police Department wants to join the IBEW.
Baker said the union received a letter from the city Wednesday recognizing their filing to represent the police officers.
Dispatchers will be mailed a ballot in July to vote on joining the union, which should be mailed back to the state board.
"We want to represent everyone below the chief and chief deputy and I think from conversations we have had at city council with attorney Mark Richardson, they are going to oppose certain leadership positions and say they are not eligible to be in the bargaining unit," Baker said. "Those are just issues we are going to have to work through."