As horrible of a decision as it is, did unions gain anything from today's ruling?

[LLStarks]

Or is it a moot point considering that they'd be outspent 10:1 by corporations?

[librechik]

1. what unions? they are less than 8% of the employed.

It might lead to a resurgence of unions, but probably not like we know them now. More like when they were owned by the Mafia--when there is big money involved, the scumbags come out of the woodwork.

[readmoreoften]

2. Hmmm. Whatta you think?

Do the math...

I work for a university that gives me about 1/100th of what I bring in for them.
My union receives a tiny fraction of that to fight for me.

All this will force the unions to put their strike funds into lobbying money and campaign finance.

This is a plain old lose. Having a "but the unions can buy politicians too" tacked on to the end isn't going to get us much. That's my bet.

[Hannah Bell]

5. yep. unions = pale shadow of their former selves, when 1/3 of the workforce was union.

[leftstreet]

8. What about freedom of speech in terms of organizing?

:hi:

Just started Googling news, but what do you make of this?

The Supreme Court's 5-4 decision today to strike down a ban on corporations taking part in political campaigns will get lots of attention for what it says about those campaigns.

Pundits, though, may miss the more profound implication of the majority opinion -- a ringing endorsement of the First Amendment that could mean stronger language and more adult content on over-the-air television and radio, fewer prosecutions for obscenity, and more lawsuits based on speech limits for students, workers, and others.

http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node/21079

[Hannah Bell]

9. yes, how about those "free speech zones"? seems there's some contradiction.

unless "speech" = money, period.

[calico1]

3. Unions and non profits. But you are right...

How do they compete with a Goldman Sachs?

[wtbymark]

4. Bingo! you win on your bi-line

[ThomWV]

6. You're right, it will be a moot point - but they won't be outspent 10:1, it will be 10,000:1

[TornadoTN]

7. If anything, it hurt the Unions significantly

We all know Corporate America hates unions and so does the Republican Party. They can throw all their money at getting Anti-Labor, Big Business lawmakers elected and see more and more unions just disappear through legislative action/inaction.

This could conceivable kill unions altogether,

[Thothmes]

12. But now the Union can spend Union funds for politicl

advertising right up to the election day.

[madinmaryland]

10. Moot point. Exxon/Mobil made a $10 billion profit in three months. How much

total union dues are taken in each year by all of the unions in this country? I would guess far less than three months of Exxon/Mobil's three months of profit.

[FrenchieCat]

11. about a cent on the corporate dollar.

[Dr. Strange]

13. I assume so, considering the AFL CIO was in favor of it.

http://www.fec.gov/law/litigation/citizens_united_sc_08_aflcio_supp_brief_amici.pdf