South Dakota initiative would be beneficial to union workers

On Nov. 8, the South Dakota legislature will release a ballot to voters addressing 10 initiatives that have been approved for the ballot. One particular measure on the ballot will be on whether or not nonprofit and corporate organizations will be able to charge a fee for services rendered. This fee would be very helpful and fair for unions.

For students voting in the upcoming election, even if this particular measure doesn’t directly affect them, it’s crucial to be aware of issues at stake involving other South Dakotan workers.

According to Ballotpedia, the official language of Measure 23 is “Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, an organization, corporate or nonprofit, has the right to charge a fee for any service provided by the organization.”

This means that unions and other employee-sponsored organizations will be able to charge a fee from those who aren’t part of a union. This initiative may seem unfair to others, but this would be very beneficial for employees in the long run — especially for those who work for a major company with many workers.

Unions, like those with UnionPlus, help employees maintain a better cost of living by negotiating on behalf of the employees, ensuring that their employment contracts are done properly. This prevents unfair treatment by employers such as not giving their employees proper wages and making sure their working environment is safe.

These benefits not only apply to union employees, but for anyone else working for a company who has chosen not to join a union. So even if an employee doesn’t support the union, they’ll still be ensured all the benefits that the union has strived to obtain.

For all the services unions provide, it’s still illegal in South Dakota for them to charge fees for the work they do to ensure employees are taken care of well.

With the ability to charge fees to even the employees who aren’t a part of some union, but still gain all of its benefits, unions will be able to keep providing their necessary services. Along with that, they will be able to do their jobs better because they will have more resources at their disposal.

The official argument against passing Measure 23 comes from South Dakota Chamber of Commerce. They say the unions will use this as an opportunity to extort money from non-union members

Those who would possibly get extorted would be teachers, firefighters and other state and city employees. Thus hard workers in these fields who do not wish to be part of a union will be required to pay fees regardless if they want to be part of the union.

But the fact remains that many people who work in these fields already reap the benefits of the unions’ efforts. It only seems fair that they support the union that is responsible for making their work environment better. For students preparing to enter the work environment, having these guidelines in place would only improve their experience.

So in the end, all voters, no matter their age or work experience, should vote yes for Measure 23. The work that unions do is essential for many employees and allowing unions the right to keep themselves financed will ensure that they keep doing what they can to help employees.