Today the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in Janus v. AFSCME regarding employee contribution of “Fair Share” fees from non-union-member employees.
The County deeply believes in the mission of public employee labor unions; having robust voices speaking on behalf of employee interests enhances Multnomah County and the services we provide. We take pride in the strong working relationships between the County and our employees' unions, and together labor and management have fostered an environment in which patrons and clients receive exceptional service, while employees receive fair compensation and working conditions.
Although we disagree with the Court’s rationale, the County and its employees’ labor unions are prepared to comply with the Janus decision. Beyond that, state law prohibits public employer interference with the administration of unions, or taking action to encourage or discourage membership; as such, we are referring employees with questions to their union representatives or other counsel for additional information regarding the impacts of this case.
Deborah Kafoury
Multnomah County Chair