In a 5-4 the United States Supreme Court in Janus vs AFSME today took another step to rig our economy and our politics against working families and to further diminish the collective rights of working people. If those who pushed for this decision win, everyone who works for a living in America loses. If they win and the power of unions decline, we will all see the consequences in our paychecks and in the erosion of the social safety net that public sector unions have done so much to protect.

It is time to fight back. And the first step is to ask our state legislators to join as co-sponsors of new legislation that will make it easier for public sector workers to create and join unions. Bipartisan legislation put forward by Representatives Maureen Madden (D-Monroe) and Thomas Mehaffie III (R-Dauphin) streamlines the union election process by allowing a majority of works to form a union though a simple card check process. It also requires that certified unions be given a chance to explain the benefits of union membership.

This is just one of many proposals that can strengthen our unions and, in doing so, raise wages and stimulate economic growth throughout the commonwealth.