IFPTE Local 21 on Supreme Court Janus Ruling: “Working People Know It’s Not the Billionaires Watching Out for Us”

June 27, 2018
12:00 am

For Immediate Release

Press Contact IFPTE Local 21:
Jennifer Li (917) 573-1488
Jessica Bowker (415) 260-6073

SAN FRANCISCO, California, June 27, 2018: Local 21 condemns the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn decades of labor law precedent with Janus v. AFSCME. We strongly assert that no court decision can extinguish the desire of working people standing together in unions to create better lives for our families and communities. California needs strong unions to stand up to the rich and powerful who rig the economy against workers.

Local 21 member Anna Roche said, “We, as public servants, develop the policies that are protecting residents from critical issues like sea level rise due to the climate crisis. It’s important that people working on issues like the climate crisis are public workers, because we have the public’s interests at heart. The Janus v. AFSCME decision is attempting to weaken the public sector and silence our voices. We are not going to let that happen – too much is at stake.” Anna is a Climate Change Project Manager and has worked for the City of San Francisco for 18 years.

Corporate CEO-funded front groups have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to divide and conquer working people. But what they still don’t understand is that our strength in numbers can, and will, defeat their millions of dollars.

IFPTE Local 21 Executive Director Debra Grabelle commented, “We believe that working people intrinsically know the answer to this question: Who is on your side – corporate billionaires, or unions made up of your fellow working Americans?”

This case isn’t just about union membership and dues; it’s about withering away our ability to collectively fight for public services, better wages, pensions, and health care.

“Local 21 members understand the importance of public sector unions; we just recently reached 91% union membership,” said Local 21 President Gus Vallejo.

IFPTE Local 21 represents nearly 11,000 Bay Area public sector workers.

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