Gov. Brown, lawmakers, unions decry court ruling
Top Oregon Democrats, including Gov. Kate Brown and Sen. Jeff Merkley, joined union officials Wednesday in expressing disappointment in a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down an Illinois law allowing unions to assess fees against non-members to help fund collective bargaining efforts.
In reaction to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Janus v. AFSCME, Governor Kate Brown, Tom Chamberlain (president of Oregon AFL-CIO), John Larson (president of the Oregon Education Association), Melissa Unger (executive director of SEIU Local 503), and Stacy Chamberlain (executive director of Oregon AFSCME), released the following joint statement:
“Oregon’s economy is thriving, but the rising economic tide is leaving too many behind. Every day, we hear from families struggling to make ends meet, single parents working two jobs to get by, young people buried by student loans, and seniors who’ve spent down their life savings to keep up with the rising cost of living.
“Today, Oregon families face new challenges, but unions are on the forefront, fighting for working families, fair pay, and more affordable housing. Our union members have led the fights to raise the minimum wage, ensure that women and people of color are paid equally and treated fairly in the workplace, and expand access to affordable healthcare. Strong public sector unions have been and will continue to be one of the pillars upon which Oregon’s middle class is built.
“The Supreme Court’s disappointing ruling in the Janus case tips the scale yet again in favor of wealthy special interests, making it even harder for working families to get ahead. Despite that decision, however, Oregon’s unions will remain strong as long as union members stick together and continue acting collectively for the common good of all workers.
“Oregon’s union members stand strong, and will continue working with Oregon’s political leaders to create and maintain public-sector union jobs — positions that allow dedicated public servants to serve the people of our state.”
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Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court dealt a powerful blow to workers with its decision in Janus v. AFSCME.
“When unions win, everyone wins. Wages rise and conditions and benefits improve–and not just for unionized workers, either. We saw the powerful effects of strong unions in the decades after World War II, when the middle class grew rapidly and shared in the wealth they created.
“Today’s decision is a huge blow to working America–masterminded by the privileged and powerful. Last year, the powerful few completed the theft of a Supreme Court seat. Now, as planned, they are reaping the rewards with a decision designed to cripple workers’ ability to come together to insist on a fair shake.
“But we will not, we cannot, let this ruling stand in the way of our efforts to protect workers, create jobs, and build the middle class. We must continue to fight for government of, by, and for the people–not the privileged and powerful.”
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Oregon Senate Majority Leader Ginny Burdick, D-Portland, released the following statement today regarding the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Janus v. AFSCME case:
“The rights of workers across the country are under attack. Labor unions give workers a voice for fair treatment in the workplace. Allowing workers to unite gives everyday Americans a louder voice to be heard. That is an important counterweight to the outsized influence of the powerful few. This decision harms workers everywhere — whether they belong to unions or not — in their ability to achieve the American dream of a living wage, retirement security, health care and ability to care for loved ones.”
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Oregon House Majority Leader Jennifer Williamson (D-Portland) issued the following statement in response to the Supreme Court’s decision on Janus v. AFSCME.
“As the daughter of two union members, today’s decision by the Supreme Court overturning decades of settled case law is disappointing. For generations, labor unions have fought for fair labor policy and the rights of workers. They ended child labor, fought for the minimum wage, and a fair work week.
“Regardless of this decision today, I know labor unions will remain strong and committed to advancing what is right for working Americans. I will continue to stand with my brothers and sisters in labor in the fight for a more fair and equal society where everyone has the opportunity to achieve their American dream.”
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Statement from DPO Chair Jeanne Atkins on SCOTUS Decision in Janus v. AFSCME
Today, and every day, Oregon Democrats stand united with our partners in labor.
Today’s deeply flawed ruling from the Supreme Court undermines generations of work to create a more equitable and fair society.
Oregon unions, in particular, have led the way on improving working families’ quality of life. From paid sick leave to minimum wage to tax fairness, they have been at the forefront of progressive victories across the decades.
We will continue to work in partnership with our brothers and sisters in labor, collectively fighting for union rights and securing a more just and prosperous future for all Oregonians.
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Statement from the Portland-based Cascade Policy Institute:
Portland, Ore. – The U.S. Supreme Court today restored First Amendment rights of free speech and free association for public employees in Oregon and nationwide. This is truly a victory for everyone who values the freedom of workers to associate with and financially support only those organizations with which they agree.
Ruling in favor of Illinois public employee Mark Janus in Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the Court said he, and all other public employees nationwide, do indeed have Constitutional Rights that have been violated by the collection of so-called “fair share” or “agency” fees from their paychecks to pay for services the employees don’t want, or from unions whose political goals they oppose.
The Court has long allowed both public and private sector employees to opt out of union membership and the political portion of union dues, but it has allowed unions to collect fees for bargaining and representation purposes.
Now, Mark Janus has successfully argued that in the public sector, everything his union does is inherently political. Therefore, he should not be compelled to support that organization with his money.
The union compulsion the Court ended for public employees today brings to mind the well-known statement by Thomas Jefferson:
“To compel a man to furnish funds for the propagation of ideas he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.”
Cascade Policy Institute stands with Mark Janus and with Oregon public employees, including public school teachers, who feel as he does that they want their rights to free speech and free association protected.
Nothing in the Janus decision prohibits unions from organizing and collecting voluntary dues from public employees. The ruling simply restores the First Amendment rights of public employees to say “no” to unions with which they don’t want to associate. Today is truly a day to celebrate the restoration of rights long denied a large group of citizens in Oregon and nationwide.
Founded in 1991, Cascade Policy Institute is Oregon’s premier policy research center. Cascade’s mission is to explore and promote public policy alternatives that foster individual liberty, personal responsibility, and economic opportunity.
For more information, visit cascadepolicy.org.
