UFCW: Federal Judge Rules on Legislature's Anti-Union Measure

PHOENIX, Sept. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Federal District Court Judge G. Murray Snow has issued a temporary injunction to block implementation of anti-union legislation SB 1365 in an order issued late Friday.

In his order, Judge Snow writes, "The claims allege constitutional harms, which are necessarily irreparable. The balance of equities and the public interest likewise tilt in favor of enjoining a law that implicates core constitutional rights."

The temporary injunction blocks Attorney General Tom Horne from enforcing SB 1365.

United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Local 99 brought the lawsuit against SB 1365 misleadingly dubbed the "Protect Arizona Employees' Paychecks from Politics Act."

Local 99 President Jim McLaughlin said, "SB 1365 and other efforts are just attempts to silence the voices of the middle class who depend on Arizona's working families to engage elected officials on important issues."

The Union argued that the law was discriminatory and an unconstitutional attack against the free speech rights of labor unions and their members. Enacted in April, SB 1365 tried to prevent Unions from making political contributions and other political activities funded by its members through paycheck deductions.

No similar legislation was enacted or introduced that would require corporations from getting specific approval from its employees to use their involuntary payroll deductions for political purposes.

"SB 1365 was just another attack on working people," said McLaughlin. "Honest conservatives recognize that the First Amendment protects people they don't like including organizations that stand up for the rights of working people like labor unions."

SOURCE UFCW Local 99