Message from President, Joe Dixon
What is Janus? Specifically, Janus is a case that has recently been argued before the Supreme Court of the United States. The name of the case is Janus v. AFSCME. Because it is a Supreme Court Case, the outcome will affect every public sector employee in the country that belongs to a union.
A little background on the case:
Mark Janus is an employee of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), a public sector union, represents Janus the same way WITA, NYSUT and AFT represent you. Mark Janus has sued AFSCME for the requirement to pay the union "Agency Fee". The Agency Fee is what a union charges to represent all members of the workforce. All members benefit from the collectively bargained contracts with the employer, whether or not any member chooses to participate in the union. The agency fee is the cost (per person) of bargaining and representation minus any monies used for political purposes. Mark Janus believes that being required to pay the agency fee to the union that represents him is a violation of his first amendment rights afforded to him in the United States Constitution.
What is at stake for us? The simple answer is - EVERYTHING!
The contract we currently enjoy is a product of countless negotiations by WITA leadership for over the past 50 years. Every item in our contract, from salaries to stipends, from the length of the school day to our unlimited sick day's provision, and from our healthcare contribution to our language regarding building transfers, was negotiated by your union.
If the Supreme Court rules in favor of Mark Janus, then it is possible that the agency fee may no longer be required. In that case, people would decide whether or not to pay for the work the union does on their behalf. Those that choose not to pay are known as "free riders". "Free riders" receive the benefits of the negotiations without paying their fair share and would technically not be a member of the union. If enough employees choose to be "free riders", then the district can de-certify the union and nullify the contract.
Everything that has been painstakingly fought for, and won, over the last 50 years can be gone in an instant!
Without the contract, every employee would no longer be protected and would be subject to the whims of the school board and school administration without representation. Your salary, length of school day and teaching load, just to name a few could be negatively impacted.
What can we do about it? Wednesday, February 28th is Solidarity Day in West Islip. Please sign your union membership card and show that WITA, NYSUT, and AFT are not going to be diminished. We asked you to show up on November 7th and vote no on a constitutional convention. You did and we, as a union, beat that handily. WE are counting on YOU again. When we work together as a union, we win together as a union!
