Public-Sector Unions Struggle to Maintain Influence, Membership

Originally published at Newsweek

Some observers argue the labor movement in America is “having a moment,” but for the four largest public-sector workers’ unions—AFSCME, SEIU, NEA, and AFT—the “moment” is defined by declining membership and waning relevance.

In the four years since the landmark 2018 Supreme Court decision Janus v. AFSCME, which barred public-sector unions from collecting mandatory fees, those unions have seen a loss of more than 200,000 members.

Janus brought the plight of workers to the forefront of the national conversation and shined a light on how public-sector unions severely limited the rights of their employees. In the years since, many states have codified new protections for workers while simultaneously increasing the transparency and accountability of union executives—but more action is needed.

Read more at Newsweek