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Supreme Court Attempts to Undermine the Freedom of Working People

Jeremy Sprinkle
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For Immediate Release: June 27, 2018

Contact: Jeremy Sprinkle, 336-255-2711 or [email protected]

Supreme Court Attempts to Undermine the Freedom of Working People

“Now more than ever, working people need a collective voice and the power that comes from joining together in unions.” -- MaryBe McMillan

Statement by NC State AFL-CIO President MaryBe McMillan on the Supreme Court’s decision in Janus v. AFSCME, Council 31:

"Today, the U.S. Supreme Court abandoned decades of labor law precedent to rule against working people in a decision that will increase economic inequality and make it even harder for working people to make ends meet. As workers in North Carolina know all too well, “right to work” means lower wages, fewer benefits, and less safe workplaces.

"From the outset, corporations and wealthy donors have pushed this case with the primary goal of undermining our freedom to join together in unions because they know that when working people exercise our freedom, we can negotiate for a fair return on our work and fix a system they have rigged against us. The good news is working people know that too.

"Public approval of unions is the highest it’s been in years. Last year 262,000 people became new union members, including 16,000 in North Carolina. Across our state and all around the country, working people are taking collective action at levels not seen in decades. We know that together we can make a difference, and no politician or judge can ever change that.

"The NC State AFL-CIO and our affiliates will continue to organize and mobilize because, now more than ever, working people need a collective voice and the power that comes from joining together in unions."

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For more information, visit FreedomtoJoin.org.

The North Carolina State AFL-CIO is the largest association of unions of working people in North Carolina, representing a hundred and forty-five thousand members, working together for good jobs, safe workplaces, workers’ rights, consumer protections, and quality public services on behalf of ALL working people. PO Box 10805, Raleigh, NC 27605.