BREAKING: Supreme Court Strikes Down Labor Protections for Public Sector Unions

Los Angeles, CA – In response to the Supreme Court decision in Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Council 31, Cal Soto, Director of Workers Rights Program at NDLON issued the following statement:

“On Wednesday morning, the Supreme Court voted 5-4 to gut the rights of public sector unions to organize and collectively bargain on behalf of workers they are legally bound to represent. This attack is a slap in the face of years of court precedent that has recognized the importance and benefit of creating fair bargaining opportunities for workers protecting their rights.

While this decision is a blow to labor’s legal protections, it is not the death knell the far right, Trump, and the Koch brothers long for. The labor laws we often take for granted were won by civil disobedience, wildcat strikes, and expressions of power that came from concerted – not individual – action. There is incredible power in united workers acting in concert to stand up against exploitation and discrimination despite the current frameworks that seek to thwart that action.

Janus certainly represents a shift for organized labor. However, now is the time to devote resources into organizing comprehensive campaigns that build support among large majorities of workers across diverse sectors. Now is the time to propose a plan of action that will transform the lives of workers on the job and in their communities. Today we call on our elected officials, our union leaders, our worker centers, our organizers, our brothers and sisters that work across the country to reject the Trump/Koch worldview and band together in a renewed fight to gain labor protections and build bargaining power of all workers

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