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ASEA Applauds Supreme Court Opinion S-18172

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ASEA Applauds Alaska Supreme Court Opinion
State owes nearly $450,000 in damages for its long and meritless legal battle

JUNEAU - On Friday, May 27, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled in no uncertain terms that Governor Dunleavy’s administration broke the law by taking actions to interfere with public employee unions. The Court further affirmed the lower court’s permanent injection to prohibit the State from unilaterally implementing its unlawful actions in the future.

“While we are unsurprised by this decision, it is excellent news and an enormous victory for public employee union members,” said Heidi Drygas, Executive Director of ASEA AFSCME Local 52. “The Court's decision affirms, quite literally, the State had no legal grounds to take the actions it did to harm public employee unions and our members.” 

In affirming the lower court’s decision on all counts, the Supreme Court found ample evidence of anti-union animus of the Dunleavy Administration.

“This decision makes it clear that the Governor, Attorney General and Commissioner of Administration were wholly motivated by political calculus and anti-union hostility, rather than sound legal footing. It backfired,” said Drygas. “By pursuing this meritless legal action, the Governor and members of his administration wasted public resources to the tune of millions of dollars rather than invest in the critical public services and public employees that are needed to carry them out.”

Alaska has a long and proud history of union membership. Employees have the right to form and join a union and enjoy the benefits and protections that come along with that collective power and solidarity.

ASEA/AFSCME Local 52 is an affiliate of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). AFSCME represents more than 1.4 million public service workers across the country. AFSCME Local 52 is the largest union of state and municipal public service workers in Alaska with more than 8,000 hardworking public employees. ASEA members provide essential services that Alaskans rely on every day. They work everywhere Alaska needs them and together, keep Alaska running!

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Read the full Supreme Court opinion:  pdf 052623 AK S18172 opinion re Janus
(330 KB) See the PDF of this Press Release:  pdf 052623 ASEA PR AK SC Opinion