Press Releases
Montgomery County Council Update
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Council shows support for collective bargaining and public employee unions
Councilmembers joined by County Executive and County unions at press conference to support collective bargaining rights at risk in Supreme Court case
ROCKVILLE, Md., Feb. 23, 2018—Montgomery County Councilmembers were joined by County Executive Leggett and representatives from the Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA), United Food and Commercial Workers International (UFCW) Local 1994 MCGEO and SEIU Local 500 at a press conference held at the Council Office Building to show their support for public employee unions. At the press conference, the Council previewed a resolution that will be introduced at the Council on Tuesday, February 27. The resolution is sponsored by Council President Hans Riemer, Council Vice President Nancy Navarro and Councilmembers Roger Berliner, Marc Elrich, Tom Hucker, Sidney Katz, George Leventhal and Craig Rice.
Montgomery County Government and Montgomery County Public Schools have collective bargaining agreements with various public employee unions that contain fair share agreements. These agreements ensure that all employees that benefit from collective bargaining help pay to sustain it. They are supported by the well-established decision of the United States Supreme Court in Abood v. Detroit Board of Education. This decision promotes positive labor-management relations and the efficient delivery of governmental services.
“Whichever side of the table you are on, there has to be a table,” said Council President Hans Riemer. “Collective bargaining is essential to the positive relationship the County has with its employees, and is a major part of how we are able to decide effective public services.”
“To our unions we say, we are with you, and we will continue to defend your rights,” said Council Vice President Nancy Navarro. “We cannot allow this legal challenge to dismantle the extraordinary tradition that Montgomery County has for positive labor relations and our collective bargaining process.”
“We need the Supreme Court to do the right thing,” said Councilmember Marc Elrich. “The ability to work together with labor through collective bargaining to come to an agreement that is in the best interest of County residents, taxpayers, and all County employees is critically important. I support the workers who deliver the services we depend on and do their part to make Montgomery County such a great place to live and work.”
The Supreme Court of the United States has decided to revisit this long-standing precedent in the case, Janus v. AFSCME with oral arguments on Monday, February 26. A Court decision overruling the important precedent created in Abood would destabilize existing contractual relationships, lead to legal challenges and demands for renegotiation, and undermine the Supreme Court’s decisions governing public employee speech jurisprudence.
The resolution can be viewed at: https://tinyurl.com/y9gy7oeg
To view the press conference, please visit: https://youtu.be/ZDyTSXkjjJU
Media Contact: Sonya Healy 2407777926, Juan Jovel 2407777931