Attorney General Grewal to Sign Amicus Brief Supporting Labor Union Rights

Trenton – New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal will join New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and sign on to an amicus brief in the Janus v. AFSCME Supreme Court case, furthering the commitment of Governor Phil Murphy’s administration to building strong labor and supporting working people.

“Labor is the backbone of New Jersey’s economy; union members make up over 16 percent of our wage and salary workers,” said Governor Murphy. “Supporting strong unions is a critical part of making New Jersey’s economy work for everyone. By supporting this brief, Attorney General Grewal is sending a message to those attempting to undermine our labor force that New Jersey and this administration will not stand for policies that weaken unions and labor organizations.”

The Janus v. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees case asks whether an earlier Supreme Court decision (Abood v. Detroit Board of Education) should be overruled. The Abood case determined that public unions could require all workers to pay a fair share of union dues. But the Janus case could allow some workers to opt out, potentially weakening collective bargaining by labor groups that negotiate employee compensation, pensions, and contracts.

“The Abood case defers to state judgement on how labor practices should be regulated,” Attorney General Grewal said. “Today, my office takes the first step toward protecting the rights of states and other employers.”

The brief can be found here: https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/janus_states_amicus.pdf

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