Unions: Support rights of working people

In a society where the CEOs and wealthiest people are able to easily manipulate the political system, a Supreme Court case called Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association threatens to make it even worse.

The Center for Individual Rights is a group that is trying to make it extremely difficult for the working population, like nurses and teachers, to come together in the work environment and make sure their voices are heard.

I am a registered nurse at a hospital in Tacoma and belong to the nursing union and statewide nurses association. In the two years that I’ve been working as a nurse, I have seen the immense value in having a union on my side. Through collective-bargaining, nurses work to ensure that patients are safely cared for and nurses are being paid fair wages.

Every employed American should be able to make ends meet and possess the rights to negotiate for better wages and advocate for safe patient care. The U.S. Supreme Court must reject this case and keep the current working system, giving the hard workers of this country the power that they deserve.

This story was originally published February 1, 2016 at 4:43 PM with the headline "Unions: Support rights of working people."