Moments ago, in a 5-4 decision in Janus v. AFSCME, the conservative justices on the Supreme Court put the final touches on a political attack against public-sector unions that was decades in the making.
California is one of the states that allow unions to collect non-member fees, so workers who benefit from union representation don’t get a “free ride.” With this Supreme Court decision, unions in California and across the nation could be looking at a loss in membership of one-third or more.
Eddie Kurtz, Executive Director of Courage Campaign, issued the followings statement in response:
“We are deeply disturbed by this abominable Supreme Court decision to favor wealthy corporations and their right-wing allies over the well-being of American workers. Make no mistake; this decision reflects one of the Republican Party’s core priorities over the last several decades: undermining unions, the financial backbone of the progressive movement, in order to weaken progressives nationally. This decision will make it easier to line the pockets of the GOP’s wealthy donors on the backs of working people.
“Corporate interests that seek short-term profits at the expense of everything else—including public health, environmental integrity, fairness to consumers, and more—have already waged a campaign of destruction against California’s working communities. This decision will only make the situation worse.
“Courage Campaign’s priority is to make California a more prosperous place for our people and the vanguard of the progressive movement nationally. We call on our state leaders to stand up for unions, to state their dismay at this decision, and to commit to doing anything and everything to reinstate what the Supreme Court gutted today for California’s working families.”
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