Unite for Justice sponsored rallies across the country today to #StopKavanaugh from being selected for the Supreme Courty (SCOTUS).
According to Unite for Justice:
People across the country are rising up to demand that their Senators stop Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination, and protect our most fundamental rights. Everyone agrees: the balance of the Supreme Court is on the line with this lifetime appointment.
There’s no doubt: Kavanaugh would rule to gut Roe and criminalize abortion, gut health care, attack voting rights and LGBTQ rights, slash environmental protections, and further damage workers’ and immigrant rights. If Senators vote to confirm Kavanaugh, they would cement into place the worst and most dangerous of Donald Trump’s policies for generations to come.
In Olympia, AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) represented labors views on why Kavanaugh is wrong for working people.
The impacts of Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court cannot be understated and were outlined by AFSCME Council 28 Deputy Director Leanne Kunze:
We cannot allow an already rigged system to become even more influenced by those who wish to re-write the rules of our democracy to favor a select few. The success of our economy and democracy requires our government to be transparent and deliberate in ensuring impartiality of our judicial branch.
Kavanaugh has been picked by a small, but powerful group of corporate special interests because they see him as a safe be for their bottom line — and are counting on him to continue his pattern of ruling for bid business at the expense of working people.
He has ruled against safe workplaces. He has ruled against labor protections.
We cannot allow the highest court of the land to become an extension of a system rigged against everyday workers.
Brett Kavanaugh's record demonstrates a consistent pattern of siding with powerful employers and against working families. Kavanaugh's appointment would create further barriers for workers to obtain fairness and justice.
The role of the Supreme Court is to protect the Constitutional rights of the people. The collective power of the people is protected by the First Amendment —freedome of speech, freedom of the press, religious freedom, freedom of assembly —yet this past June, the Supreme Court overturned a 41 year old precedent.
In the Abood decision of 1977, by unanimous decision — by a conservative court — the Supreme Court ruled in favor of state's rights to determine their public sector collective bargaining laws, including the right to charge representation fees to cover the costs of negotiating and administering the union contract, and the cost of providing representation for those who do not join but still benefit from the mandatory coverage and represenation afforded to all workers in a unionized workplace.
As Justin Kagan's dissent so clearly stated, the Janus decision (6/27/18) has weaponsized the First Amendment and aids in the opposition's desire to weaken the voice of public service workers and interfere with their freedom to form strong unions.
Thankfully, the power of workers coming together to improve conditions has existed long before the Janus decision, and the power of people coming together will continue well beyond.
Right here in Olympia, the Freedom Foundation continues to launch attackds on worker freedom. They do not care about our rights — they care about our power. Our collective power to hold government accountable to the people and protect public services from being outsourced to private entities who see public dollars a profit opportunity and market share.
Don't give up your power! Public services must remain in the public domain. Public workers must continue to form strong unions. By joining together we will build a better way forward. Our roads, bridges, water, air, safety, and protection comes from the collective power of the people in a transparent government of, by and for the people.
We cannot sustain an economy that only works for a privileged few while the pursuit of the American Dream not only slips away, but for some has become a nightmare.
We must get to a place where everyday Americans unite and organize for economic, social, and racial justice for all working people.
We are truly #StrongerTogether.
Here's what you can do:
Urge our US Senators, Senator Cantwell and Senator Murray, to vote to #StopKavanaugh and protect the freedom and agency of Washington State women and families.
