Ruling will expand worker freedom by allowing public employees a choice in joining and funding a union
Harrisburg, Pa. – Today the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Mark Janus in the monumental case for worker freedom and free speech, Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). The decision overturned Abood v. Detroit Board of Education (1977), in which the Court ruled that unions can require public employees to pay fees to cover collective bargaining costs.
The Janus decision now expands worker freedom across the country, as more than five million public employees in 22 states that don’t have a Right to Work law, including Pennsylvania, are no longer forced to fund political advocacy without their consent.
Americans for Prosperity-Pennsylvania (AFP-PA) has long been an outspoken advocate for worker freedom, having held activist rallies, knocked on thousands of doors, and made hundreds of thousands of phone calls on the issue since 2014.
Americans for Prosperity-Pennsylvania State Director Beth Anne Mumford issued the following statement:
“This victory isn’t just a win for Mark Janus but a win for workers in Pennsylvania and across the country, too. All Americans have a stake in this decision. Forcing public workers to fund political activity to keep a job and support their family is not just unfair but also a violation of the bedrock principles enshrined by the First Amendment. This win vindicates our activists who have long and persistently asserted the fundamental right to free speech.”
Background:
At issue in this case was the power of labor unions to collect “fair share” or “agency fees” from public employees who have opted out of the union in their workplace.
Mark Janus is a public employee in Illinois that challenged the condition that public workers are required to pay fees to union officials as a condition of working for the government and serving the public. Janus argued because his employer’s collective bargaining directly affects public policy issues like pension liabilities, taxes, spending, and more that he should not be compelled to fund this lobbying and political speech.
For further information or an interview, reach Lorenz Isidro at LIsidro@afphq.org or 703.887.7724
Americans for Prosperity (AFP) exists to recruit, educate, and mobilize citizens in support of the policies and goals of a free society at the local, state, and federal level, helping every American live their dream – especially the least fortunate. AFP has more than 3.2 million activists across the nation, a local infrastructure that includes 36 state chapters, and has received financial support from more than 100,000 Americans in all 50 states. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org
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