Statement from AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler on the Supreme Court case Glacier Northwest Inc. v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters:
The right to strike is on trial today at the U.S. Supreme Court. For nearly a century, federal law has protected workers’ right to strike in order to improve their wages, hours and working conditions. Glacier Northwest is actively seeking to undermine this fundamental right, arguing that it is entitled to sue the union in state court and seek monetary damages for undelivered concrete product as the result of truck drivers striking for fair wages and better working conditions. Glacier’s argument flies in the face of long-standing precedent and is a direct attack on the right to strike, a pillar of any democracy.
The Washington Supreme Court correctly held that the National Labor Relations Board should determine whether the strike was protected, not the state courts. It is crucial to the livelihoods of America’s workers that the U.S. Supreme Court affirm the lower court’s decision.
Contact: Liz Vlock, 202-637-5018