Speaker Heastie Statement on Supreme Court Ruling Against Public Worker Unions
For decades, the New York State Assembly Majority has fought hard on behalf of working men and women - the firefighters, police officers, teachers, health and mental health care providers who keep our state moving and growing. Strong unions have been an indispensable tool to protect and improve the labor conditions of their members while improving the lives of countless middle and low pay workers. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 14.8 million workers in America belonged to a union in 2017, including some two million or 23.8 percent in New York State alone.
This decision is a dangerous turn for workers at a time when the wage gap and income inequality are growing. We must not allow the union-busting and worker suppression that has taken hold in other states to become the new normal. Collective bargaining and the right to organize are crucial to helping working families remain stable, healthy and supported in their jobs. We will continue to defend these hard-won rights at all costs.