Chicago Newsroom

6/21/18

Program Air Date: 06/21/2018

Program Overview

Ken Davis is joined by two powerful advocates for union representation in the public sector as it faces strong opposition from the Supreme Court. Robert Bruno of the University of Illinois’ School of Labor and Employment Relations and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees’ Public Affairs Director Anders Lindall discuss the current state of collective bargaining in Illinois and in the United States.

A Supreme Court ruling on Janus v AFSCME is expected at any time, and it’s virtually assured that the Justices will side with the plaintiff. The effect of such a ruling, our guests say, will be to force the 23 states which allow collective bargaining to become de-facto right-to-work states. The case was brought here in Illinois.

Bruno and Lindall say that while the ruling will have its intended effect on unions at least initially, there is a possibility that the attack on union organizing may energize those who’ve benefited from union representation but not bothered to become union members, to do so.

This program was produced by Chicago Access Network Television (CAN TV).