Arizona is a “right-to-work” state and has been for three-quarters of a century.
That’s supposed to mean that when employees think the union that wields monopoly-bargaining power in their workplace isn’t doing a good job, they don’t have to give any of their money to that union.
These protections are further bolstered by Janus v. AFSCME, a 2018 decision in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled it a First Amendment violation to force public workers to pay union dues as a condition of employment.
A substantial majority of mechanics, electricians, maintenance workers and other blue-collar employees of the city of Phoenix clearly don’t believe top bosses of Local 2384 of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) are doing a job worthy of paying dues.
According to the most recent available payroll records, a big majority of the employees under Local 2384’s control have taken advantage of their rights under Arizona’s right-to-work law and Janus, choosing to not join the union or to end their membership.
But Local 2384 union bosses think they can use a so-called “official time” or “union time” scheme and still get the cash dissenting public employees are choosing not to pay as dues.
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