My response to the Supreme Court’s choice to undermine unions

Today, five members of the U.S. Supreme Court showed they do not stand with working families, overturning decades of established law meant to give workers a collective voice.

This decision, driven purely by politics, is a gift to ideological conservatives and the corporations that bankrolled the attack.

This decision will weaken important unions that organized and negotiate in good faith to help build a middle class, including those representing local teachers, public employees, and other working families.

As a mom to three public school kids I am horrified at what this decision means for teachers and students across the country. As we have seen in West Virginia and Kentucky, unions are the last line of defense to secure much-needed funding so our children have the resources necessary to succeed in school and keep our educators in the classroom, instead of working extra jobs to make ends meet.

While today’s decision in Janus v. AFSCME was a big blow — we can and must fight back. If elected, I will work with labor organizations to pass new statewide policies to help public employees understand the benefits of union membership. I will stand up to dangerous right-to-work laws and will fight for living wages, reasonable scheduling, and dignity in retirement for all workers.

I am proud to have more labor endorsements than all ten of my opponents combined, including the support of the Washington State Nurses Association, Aerospace Machinists, UFCW 21, Building and Construction Trades, Carpenters, IUPAT, and Laborers 242. Together, we will protect Washington’s workers from the abusive corporations trying to rig the system against the working class.

–Shannon