On June 27th the United States Supreme Court issued its long awaited ruling in the case Janus v. AFSCME. This decision, long expected, is an unfortunate win for anti-worker interest groups in their ongoing fight to undermine the power of working people. As environmental advocates, this decision has significant impacts on our work and the work of many allies within the progressive movement.
What Does the Ruling Mean?
The short version is that today’s ruling means that all public sector unions in the United States are effectively now “Right to Work” – meaning that these unions can no longer collect “fair share fees” from nonmembers who directly benefit from the work being done by the union (public sector unions are required to represent all workers in bargaining, whether the worker joins the union or not).
For a more detailed explanation of the Janus case, what it means, and the forces behind, it, check out this great summary from our friends at AFSCME.
Implications for the Environment
Any win for corporate interests at the expense of working Americans is a step backward for the environment. We know, from decades of experience, that the best environmental outcomes are achieved when working people and local communities are empowered to protect the resources that are most important to them.
Beyond the immediate effect of disempowering workers, the Janus decision is a long-term set back for progressive political organizing across the country. Public-sector unions have long been a bedrock force within the progressive movement. Today’s decision will make it harder for those unions to do the political organizing work that they’ve always done, and that directly impacts the work we do every day – at the Legislature, on the campaign trail and in local communities throughout Minnesota.
What Can We Do?
First and foremost, environmental organizations must stand loudly and publicly in solidarity with working people and their rights to organize, collectively bargain and advocate. No exceptions.
Second, we have to organize like never before. Make no mistake, the forces behind the Janus decision are the same forces driving rollbacks to bedrock environmental laws at all levels of government. When corporate interests – the Koch brothers, ALEC, US Chamber, etc. – become more powerful, that power comes at the expense of ordinary Americans.
The only thing that beats money in politics is people in politics – so let’s step up, rally behind candidates and allies that share our values, and send a clear message that Americans will not be denied their rights to organize, their rights to clean air and water, or their rights to open and accessible government.