Elizabeth New (Hovde) says the fact that some public employees in Washington state are still unaware they don’t have to give a portion of their earnings to a union with which they disagree is not a surprise
Elizabeth New (Hovde)
Washington Policy Center
Some public employees don’t know they have a First Amendment right to join or not join a union. The issue is further confused when government employers take money for union dues from workers’ paychecks. Washington state can and should correct the problem when lawmakers meet for the 2025 legislative session beginning Jan. 13.
In Janus v. AFSCME, the court decided that government workers who choose not to join a union can’t be required to pay union fees or dues as a condition of working in public service. Since the ruling, public-sector-union membership has declined, despite the increase in public employment.
That some public employees in Washington state are still unaware they don’t have to give a portion of their earnings to a union with which they disagree is not a surprise. Public unions aren’t generous with the information. What is surprising is that the state doesn’t offer good information to its employees about Janus rights, either. Even a Washington state Department of Labor and Industries web page devoted to workers’ rights ignores the issue.
Not only does the state make it difficult to find neutral information about this important workplace right, it distorts the question of whether union dues are required or optional by playing the role of dues collector for public unions.
Lawmakers can fix both of those problems and join other states working to ensure that public employees’ First Amendment rights are respected and known. Having public employees pay union dues just as they do other personal bills would help keep the worker right and the choice to join a union front and center.
Read more about this state solution in a policy paper I wrote titled, “Washington state should stop collecting dues for unions and help protect worker rights instead.”
Elizabeth New (Hovde) is a policy analyst and the director of the Centers for Health Care and Worker Rights at the Washington Policy Center. She is a Clark County resident.
Also read:
- Opinion: Transit agencies need accountability not increased state subsidy
Charles Prestrud argues that Washington transit agencies face rising costs and declining ridership due to governance structures that lack public accountability. - Letter: ‘For years, American foreign policy too often felt like a blank check’
Vancouver resident Peter Bracchi argues that the 2025 National Security Strategy marks a long-overdue shift toward clearer priorities, shared responsibility, and interest-based American leadership. - POLL: Are you better off than you were a year ago?
This week’s poll asks readers to reflect on their personal financial situation and whether they feel better off than they were a year ago as economic conditions continue to shift. - Opinion: Does tailgating cause speeding?
Target Zero Manager Doug Dahl examines whether tailgating contributes to speeding and explains why following too closely increases crash risk with little benefit. - Opinion: ‘The Democrats’ part of the bargain’
Clark County Today Editor Ken Vance reflects on a New Year’s Eve encounter and a Bill Maher commentary to assess what he sees as cultural and political changes from the past year.
