Statement by International Union of Painters and Allied Trades General President Kenneth Rigmaiden on the Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association Supreme Court Decision
The Supreme Court’s 4-4 decision on the Friedrichs case is no doubt an important win for organized labor. However, it should also serve as a significant wake up call for working families who are not convinced that their vote in the political process matters in this upcoming election.
Anti-union special interests succeeded in bringing their tactics to the Supreme Court in an effort to stop workers from deciding their collective fate on the job by a vote. We won this one, but the fight is far from over. It is time to get to work on putting pro-union candidates in local, state and federal offices. The leaders we successfully fight for on the campaign trail will be our line of defense in Washington to keep our unions strong.