1.) The Supreme Court has ruled on a case called Janus v. AFSCME that was being pushed by wealthy corporations and right-wing politicians to eliminate our freedom to come together in unions to create a better life.
2.) Those behind the Janus case want the high court to continue overrule decades of precedent that has enabled public sector unions to charge a fair-share fee to nonmembers for the representation the unions provide. The goal is to cripple labor unions, weaken workers’ rights, and further exacerbate the imbalance of power in our economic, political and social systems.
No one is forced to join a union, and no one is forced to pay any fees that go to politics or political candidates. That is already the law of the land. Nothing in this case will change that. This case is about taking away the freedom of working people to come together, speak up for each other, and build a better life for themselves and their families.
3.) This case originated after billionaire Bruce Rauner, governor of Illinois, launched a political attack on public service workers immediately after he took office, filing a lawsuit on his own behalf to bar the collection of fair-share fees by public service unions. A federal judge ruled against him, and a district court dismissed his case. But the National Right to Work Committee and the Liberty Justice Center were able to carry the case forward and get the Supreme Court to review the case right after the confirmation of Justice Neil Gorsuch, who has a record of siding with corporate interests against working people.
4.) The National Right to Work Committee is pushing this case and is part of a network funded by corporate billionaires to use the courts to rig the rules against everyday working people.
5.) Janus is just one of the ways corporate forces and right-wing interests are attacking working people. The Guardian recently reported on a network of right-wing think tanks and funders plotting an $80 million campaign in nearly every state to “defund and defang unions,” because they know strong unions are the only thing standing between them and total control of our economy and democracy.
The above was originally created by the New York State Public Employees Federation.
Help Spread The Word! Download this information in a PDF here.
See Also:
- What You Should Know About The Anti-Worker Janus v. AFSCME U.S. Supreme Court Ruling
- 2019 Update: “The hits keep coming…”
- Why Union Recruitment Is Essential
- What Is Right To Work?
Questions About This Page?
Please email vsea@vsea.org.