A Pennsylvania musician’s claim that he can’t be forced to pay union dues could expand the right recently granted by the U.S. Supreme Court for public employees to opt out of supporting labor unions. Lawyers representing Lehigh Valley percussionist Glen Wilkofsky have asked the Supreme Court to consider whether the Allentown Symphony Association wrongly threatened to fire Wilkofsky when he stopped paying dues to the American Federation of Musicians.
In the filing, the union claims Allegheny County “has engaged in a campaign of anti-union retaliation and discrimination” against union president Brian Englert, who often posts to Twitter about staffing shortages at the jail, mandatory overtime, and other issues the filing says negatively impact members of the bargaining unit.
Coronavirus: NZ Defence Force staff told to get COVID-19 vaccine or risk being sacked newshub.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from newshub.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Photo: NZDF / Supplied
More than 8800 first doses have been administered to uniformed personnel, civilian employees, reserves and foreign military staff since March.
But RNZ has learned some are refusing to take the dose.
Chief of Defence Force Air Marshal Kevin Short issued a stern warning to personnel on the NZDF s internal network Friday last week - get the inoculation or face consequences.
So far, about 180 people - 1.8 percent of uniformed personnel - have declined the vaccination, with hesitancy about the new vaccine being the main concern.
Air Marshal Kevin Short.
Photo: Supplied / New Zealand Defence Force
In that communication to staff, Short said every uniformed member of the NZDF who could receive the vaccine was expected to get it.