HARRISBURG — Attorney General Josh Shapiro issued this statement following the Supreme Court decision today in the Janus case, which ruled that non-union workers cannot be required to pay fees to public sector unions who collectively bargain for their wages in the workplace.
“Public-employee unions play a vital role in Pennsylvania, from striving for fair wages to protecting workers’ rights,” Attorney General Shapiro said. “Unions give workers a voice and make government operate more effectively. I am deeply disappointed by today’s decision – but I am not deterred. I’ll keep fighting for the issues workers care about – from keeping the tips they earn, to protecting them from wage theft, to upholding their right to bargain collectively – which gives them a fairer chance to build a better life for themselves and their families.
“As Justice Kagan said today in dissenting from the ruling, the majority’s decision ‘prevents the American people, acting through their state and local officials, from making important choices about workplace governance.’ I believe it was the wrong decision for Pennsylvania workers, and I’ll continue to uphold the rights of working people across our Commonwealth every day.”
Earlier this year, Attorney General Shapiro joined with 20 other Attorneys Generals and filed an amicus brief which argued the Supreme Court should continue to defer to states’ judgment on how best to manage their workforces.
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