Supreme Court Labor Decision a Blow to Unions, Win for First Amendment

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Christine Hall, 202-331-2258

CEI Experts Say Supreme Court Labor Decision a Blow to Unions, Win for First Amendment

Comments on Today's Ruling in Harris V. Quinn

WASHINGTON, June 30 –  Today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Harris v. Quinn that “partial public employees” like daycare and home health providers cannot be required to contribute to union bargaining fees. Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) labor expert and senior fellow Aloysius Hogan says this decision is a big victory for women, as these personal care worker industries are run largely by women.

“Today’s U.S. Supreme Court decision is a win for the First Amendment and these individuals’ right to freedom of association,” said Hogan. “Even if a home health or daycare provider directly or indirectly receives government benefits as payment for a service, they should not be considered a government employee. That is like arguing 7-Eleven workers are government employees because 7-Eleven accepts food stamps.”

“This decision delivers a major blow to the coercive powers of government unions,” said CEI policy analyst Trey Kovacs. “The ruling frees thousands of home care and child care providers from financially assisting government unions that they disagree with.”

NOTE: The workers in the Illinois case focused on individuals who offer home health care services. A sister case, Parrish v. Dayton, in Minnesota address many of the same issues but focuses on daycare service providers. In both cases, all of the plaintiffs are women.
 

> Watch Aloysius Hogan’s interview with Cyndi Cunningham, a child-care provider in Minnesota, whose industry was forced to unionize by the government.

> What’s at Stake in Monday’s SCOTUS Decision on Harris v. Quinn

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