REP. COLLEEN HANABUSA STATEMENT ON U.S. SUPREME COURT DECISION IN HARRIS v. QUINN Honolulu, Hawaii – U.S. Representative Colleen Hanabusa (HI-01) today responded to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Harris v. Quinn, which had had implications for public sector employee unions. While the case directly addressed the question of whether workers providing home care services to individuals, paid for by the government, could be required to pay “agency fees” to a state-selected union, it was seen as an opportunity for a conservative majority of the court to find that public employee unions are unconstitutional. Instead, the court ruled that as “partial-public employees,” the home care workers could not be required to pay agency fees. “I think the important message of this case is that public workers will retain their right to organize and bargain collectively,” Hanabusa said. “It also illustrates that government entities and unions need to follow the proper procedures in designating an exclusive representative for its workers. “However, it also appeared that given the opportunity, the majority of the Court would consider reversing precedents that protect public workers, and rule that public worker unions are unconstitutional. We must remain vigilant and work to protect worker rights and ensure the continued viability of public worker unions. “For decades, workers have benefitted from union representation that has ensured that they are treated fairly and receive the benefits they deserve, including benefits that many of us take for granted today, like the 40-hour week, overtime pay, safe working conditions, and medical insurance. In preserving public employee unions’ power to organize, negotiate, and represent the legitimate interests of their members, this decision establishes once again that our nation stands with our workers.”
Posted on: Tue, 01 Jul 2014 03:52:52 +0000
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