Once certified as the exclusive bargaining agent for a unit of employee, a union has the legal duty to represent all employees in that unit. No employee can be forced to become a member of the union, but employees can be compelled to pay that portion of dues that is spent on activities directly related to bargaining and representation.

Just as taxpayers in a democracy cannot choose to withhold financially support for governmental actions with which they disagree (war for example), an employee should not be able to choose whether to contribute to the cost of the core functions of representation by a union.

Employees who work in settings that are represented by a union have a choice whether to continue that status. It merely takes a majority to remove the union. While a majority of workers support union representation, all employees receive the wages, benefits and job protection of the union contract and all should be required to contribute to the cost of obtaining those terms and conditions of employment.

Right to work is not about the freedom to choose whether to be a member. It is about undermining the financial support of unions so they become less effective. Non-union, or weak union workplaces have lower wages,fewer benefits and less job security. That is the real aim of the right to work advocates.

Therefore, it must result in some commensurate value to the county in the form of lower wages, or benefits, or work rules. Something of equal value. If not, the commissioners are simply shirking their fiduciary responsibility.

For the rest of us, those without a seat at the trough, those lacking guaranteed jobs for life and cadillac health care and pensions, well, that’s who the gang pictured above is not representing.

Our role is to pay the bill. And if you don’t pay, they will take your home and pay your back taxes with the proceeds.