HELENA, Mont. – Public employee union members in Montana and across the country have their eyes on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Justices on Monday will hear Illinois employee Mark Janus' case against the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) over so-called fair share fees paid by non-union members to unions for their representation in matters such as collective bargaining.

If the court sides with Janus, he'll still get representation but won't have to pay for it. And it also could deliver a big hit to public sector unions' coffers.

Eric Feaver, president of the MEA-MFT, Montana's largest public employee union, says public schools could be at risk if AFSCME loses this case.

"I would worry about the future of public education in America, as I would worry about it right here in Montana, because there are folks that see us a primary obstacle to the privatization of public education,” he states. “So I see the agenda. I get what's going on. But we're going to put up quite a fight."

Supporters of Janus say he shouldn't have to pay fair share fees on First Amendment grounds.

Twenty-eight states are known as right to work states, meaning people who are covered under public employee contracts don't have to pay the fair share fee for representation.

Montana is not among them, although that could end if the justices side with Janus.

With calls to arm teachers since the shooting at a Florida high school, Feaver says there may be another reason to fear the demise of unions for those that don't believe guns should be on school campuses.

He says MEA-MFT has been a staunch opponent of firearms in schools at the legislative and executive levels in Montana.

"Kill MEA-MFT and maybe you in fact have just now armed up schools in Montana,” he points out. “I see these things directly related."

Feaver says this case is part of a long fight to weaken unions across the country. He adds there's no question less money will hurt their operations, but it's not going to stop them.

"Those who think that Janus by itself is going to kill MEA-MFT or other public sector unions in Montana I think are going to be sorely unhappy about the result," he states.

In a similar 2016 case, justices ended in a 4-to-4 deadlock over the fate of fair share fees.


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United Auto Workers' contract negotiations kick off today with Volkswagen at its Chattanooga plant, covering over 4,000 UAW members.

The union says its goal is to achieve an initial agreement that raises standards in wages, benefits and protections to align with those in other unionized plants.

Yolanda Peoples, a member of the UAW bargaining team, said they conducted a survey to prioritize the most pressing issues for changes or improvement.

"The highest concerns was the health and safety. A lot of employees were concerned about the high rate of injuries that we've had inside the plant that weren't being addressed. Really, pretty much was just swept under the table and it wasn't being acknowledged," she explained.

Peoples noted the UAW bargaining team of 20 elected representatives has prepared a "demand book" with some 800 items to present to Volkswagen as the basis for their negotiations. They'll work toward compromises and comprehensive policies that employees and management can agree on.

Peoples said the cost of healthcare insurance was another high point in the survey, which she describes as unaffordable for many workers.

"A lot of the employees have families, and they've taken out the family health care, and the price that we have to pay is extremely high. This year, the prices have gone up in the insurance plans that we have, and a lot of the employees have concerns about that - not only the high deductible, also the cost of the medications," she continued.

She added the policy changes resulted in some doctors being excluded from coverage, forcing patients to switch healthcare providers.

Earlier this year, Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga made history by unionizing, a first for Southern autoworkers outside the 'Big Three' manufacturers.

September is Workforce Development Month and North Dakota offices managing energy assistance programs hope people in need of a fresh career start will give weatherization work some thought.

Community Action Agencies help low-income individuals sign up for aid to keep their heating and cooling bills lower. These offices also have teams specializing in weatherization, with free repairs and upgrades for eligible households, so their homes are safe and healthy and energy systems run more efficiently.

Willy Soderholm, executive director of the Community Action Partnership-Minot Region, said his crews have veteran leadership but there are still turnover issues with newer staff.

"They're working underneath the trailer-house bellies," Soderholm pointed out. "They're working up in the attics and things like that. And plus, you know, they're working out in the cold."

Despite the challenging work, Soderholm noted those who make it through a full season can realize the stability and rewarding mission aligned with the jobs. He explained there are benefits, competitive pay and training available. His region has a waiting list of more than 40 homes in need of weatherization work and a complete staff could help whittle down the number.

Recent federal policies have boosted weatherization funding, with office leaders noting job availability should not be as unpredictable in the coming years. Beyond charting a new career path, Soderholm emphasized joining one of the teams means you are helping people in your community meet basic needs.

"We're really looking for somebody that has compassion to work with those in need and understand the struggles that are going on out there," Soderholm explained.

Soderholm added his agency's longtime staff is nearing retirement age, which should create pressure and opportunities for others to advance their careers. Similar workforce challenges are reported by other offices around the country.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, such programs have led to nearly 275 jobs created or retained in North Dakota since 2015.

A new report showed Connecticut's post-pandemic job growth lags behind the rest of the nation.

The State of Working Connecticut report found personal income, gross domestic product and job growth are all falling behind the U.S. averages. Though low-wage workers saw significant wage growth to help with their cost of living, post-pandemic inflation has eroded the gains.

Patrick O'Brien, research and policy director at Connecticut Voices for Children and the report's author, said one reason for the state's slow job growth is its overall unaffordability.

"You need to make the state more affordable for families to stay here and grow here and for also some families to move here," O'Brien urged. "You could think about, you know, addressing affordable housing, affordable child care, a child tax credit. Those types of things that make it more affordable for families to live in the state."

Slower economic growth can also be attributed to the lagging recovery of public-sector jobs, which plummeted around the start of the pandemic. But nationwide, such jobs returned to pre-pandemic levels around mid-2022. Connecticut is close to the national average but has not reached pre-pandemic levels. The report showed building up the public-sector workforce could also significantly reduce wage inequality.

The report recommended ending the subminimum wage, limiting noncompete agreements and improving early childhood education to bolster Connecticut's economy. Bringing the changes to fruition will not be easy. O'Brien noted budget controls could prevent such policies from being enacted.

"With the fiscal controls and our tight budget, it's hard to get funding to increase individual programs," O'Brien pointed out. "Because there's a spending cap, that money tends to have to come from somewhere else."

He added the state has tried to reduce government spending by not filling public-sector jobs. But it can negatively affect the state budget, because it slows personal income growth and income tax collection. O'Brien thinks if nothing is done, Connecticut will remain on the same trajectory of repressed economic growth.