DPE President on Janus Decision: Shameful Attack on Workers, but Professionals Inspire Confidence in Labor’s Future
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Katie Barrows
Research and Communications Associate
P: 202-549-5991
Kbarrows@dpeaflcio.org
WASHINGTON, June 27, 2018—Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) President Paul E. Almeida issued the following statement in response to the Supreme Court’s decision in Janus v. AFSCMEthat workers covered by a union contract who are not members do not have to pay their fair share for the benefits they receive from having a union in their workplace:
“The Supreme Court’s decision in Janus v. AFSCME is another predictable attack on hard working people across America who seek to rebalance the economic scales by joining together in their workplaces. The corporate billionaires who funded this case have an ally in a Supreme Court majority that is willing to shed 40 years of legal precedent in order to advance their anti-worker agenda.
Despite today’s ruling, DPE is confident that professionals will continue to work together to strengthen their communities and workplaces through collective action. We saw a glimpse of professionals’ potential last year when an additional 90,000 professional employees became union members. DPE member unions continue to demonstrate that professionals want to work collaboratively to improve their workplaces. In just the last six months, digital journalists, charter school teachers, nonprofit employees, animatic editors, symphony musicians, public radio announcers, FAA employees, and many other professionals all across the country have joined together in union. We are confident professional employees will continue to see the value of unions and grow the labor movement into the future.”
About DPE
The Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) is a coalition of 24 unions representing over four million professional and technical union members. DPE affiliate unions represent professionals in over 300 occupations in education and healthcare; science, engineering, and technology; legal, business, and management; media, entertainment, and the arts; and public administration.