AFT’s Weingarten on Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act

WASHINGTON—American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten issued the following statement in support of the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, reintroduced today in the House of Representatives, which will guarantee collective bargaining rights for public sector employees across the country:

“Public workers educate our students, treat our patients and keep our communities strong and safe. But in many states, they have been denied their basic freedom to have a real say over the work they do. Their unions have been the target of a decades-long assault by the right wing, who know workers standing together are the biggest threat to the dominance of Wall Street and the wealthy.

“The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act closes the chasm in public sector bargaining rights, ensuring minimum standards are in place across the nation, while retaining flexibility for states to write and administer their own laws.

“Public sector unions have fought back hard since Janus, emerging stronger than ever. But with our freedom to organize under renewed attack, this bill helps public workers achieve together what would be impossible alone—better and more-efficient services, dignity and a voice at work, and fair compensation and benefits for the work they do. We are proud to support it.”