Trump’s Supreme Court Pick Likely To Help Roll Back Labor Laws (VIDEO)

A major expansion of right-to-work laws looks likely under President-elect Donald Trump.

Last week, two Illinois state employees moved forward with their lawsuit against the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the largest public-sector union in the nation.

The employees, Mark Janus and Brian Trygg, are challenging the constitutionality of public employees who aren’t in AFSCME to pay fees to the union. Their recently filed brief charges that these union fees violate their First Amendment rights.

The Freeloader Problem

In right-to-work states, workers can opt-out of joining the union or paying union dues. The problem is that these workers reap the same benefits granted to dues-paying union members. But by not paying union dues, they degrade the union’s ability to fight for workers’ rights and organize new chapters.

The case will likely go before the Supreme Court next year. If successful, it would result in the expansion of right-to-work laws which inhibit union growth. Over two dozen similar anti-union court cases are pending.

Pretty Vacant

After Antonin Scalia passed away in February, President Barack Obama moved to appoint Judge Merrick Garland to Scalia’s empty Supreme Court seat. Congressional Republicans blocked the nomination, though, and his seat on the court was left vacant. The court has been evenly divided, with four Liberal and four Conservative justices, ever since.

Trump promised to nominate a conservative justice, and drafted a list of 21 potential nominees. Given Trump’s anti-union history, his Supreme Court picks are sure to be unsympathetic to union interests.

Trump — No Friend To Labor

Trump has consistently demonstrated that he’s no friend to unions. After Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas voted to unionize earlier this year, Trump violated their labor rights by refusing to enter into collective bargaining with them. Back when he was running the Trump Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City, Trump used the casino’s bankruptcy proceedings

Trump’s Democratic opponent former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton won the support of all major unions during the election campaign.

Featured image via YouTube video.