DNC Chair and former Secretary of Labor Tom Perez and Vice Chair Maria Elena Durazo released the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court issued its opinion in Janus v. AFSCME:

“Today’s decision is nothing more than blatant and disgraceful union busting that could slam the door on millions of hardworking Americans trying to make it into and stay in the middle class. For decades, Republicans and their wealthy corporate allies have been chipping away at workers’ rights, weakening unions, and depressing wages – all while giving massive tax cuts to the top 1%. And Janus is their most dangerous attack yet.

“Attacking unions is one of the most powerful tactics in the Republican playbook to enrich their wealthy friends at the expense of working people. In fact, Republicans are so determined to undermine workers that they held a Supreme Court seat hostage for nearly a year in order to nominate an aggressively anti-union justice. Make no mistake: the nomination of Neil Gorsuch was first and foremost about winning the Janus case and taking rights away from workers.

“Democrats believe that when unions succeed, America succeeds. We know that the right to organize and bargain collectively has helped build the middle class and create shared prosperity for millions of American families.

“This fight is far from over. Public approval for unions is soaring, especially among young people, and Democrats will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our brothers and sisters in the labor movement as they​ fight for the wages, benefits, and livelihood they deserve.”