Summary of the Mark Janus keynote discussion on labor reform, right-to-work and the Janus case
Key Findings
- Illinois state worker Mark Janus discovered deductions for a government union were taken from his check without his authorizaton.
- Mr. Janus believed the union did not represent his interests based on its political positions
- Illinois has massive unfunded pension liabilities, but public employee union demands continue to increase.
- Janus took his case to court arguing that he should not be forced to pay money to a union that he does not think represents his interests.
- Government unions recognize that losing the Janus case will require them to communicate better with their members and respond to their needs.
- Because of the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Janus case, all state and local government employees now have the right to decide for themselves whether or not to join a union.
Introduction
On May 22nd and 23rd, Washington Policy Center hosted the 5th annual statewide Solutions Summit in Bellevue for Western Washington attendees, and in Spokane for Eastern Washington attendees. Together, these two major policy events attracted over 500 policymakers, business owners, community leaders, students, and engaged citizens.
Panel discussions included state and national experts speaking on budget reform, a state income tax, the Seattle head tax, policies to promote economic growth, right-to-work, and labor reform. The following is a summary of the keynote presentation at lunch, where WPC’s Director of the Center for Worker Rights, Erin Shannon, interviewed Mark Janus. Mr. Janus is the lead plaintiff in the landmark Janus v. AFSCME case, in which the U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that public sector workers cannot be forced to pay a union as a condition for holding their jobs.
