USW Urges U.S. Senate to Deny Confirmation to Anti-Worker Kavanaugh for Supreme Court

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Jul 09, 2018, 21:45 ET

PITTSBURGH, July 9, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- United Steelworkers (USW) International President Leo W. Gerard issued the following statement today opposing confirmation of Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh to a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court:

"Working families cannot tolerate another corporate apologist on the U.S. Supreme Court, fawning over CEOs and stomping on the rights of workers. The decisions of Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit demonstrate that he deliberately elevates corporations over working people.

"It's crucial to working families that the vacancy on the court be filled by a mainstream jurist, not one who will support Supreme Court sessions like the last one in which the right-wing majority repeatedly subjugated workers' rights. In just two cases this year, the court's radical conservatives limited the ability of workers to join together to file class actions lawsuits to redress workplace grievances such as wage theft and forbid members of labor unions from collecting fair share fees from public sector workers who choose not to join but who the union is required to represent.

"Kavanaugh's opinions show him to be a rogue jurist far to the right of the retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy. An illustration of Kavanaugh's extremism is that he has participated in the highest number of dissents per year of any judge on the D.C. Circuit.

"In too many of those dissents, Kavanaugh has argued against workers' right to be represented by labor unions, their right not to be killed by unsafe employer practices, and their right not to be fired for their age or race. In contrast, Kavanaugh twice wrote that a corporation should not be held accountable for misconduct overseas.

"Kavanaugh also has sided with powerful cable companies and big banks over consumers. And it's clear he would deny women their right to abortion after he tried – ultimately unsuccessfully – to prevent an undocumented minor who was in government custody from obtaining the procedure.

"Activist jurists like Kavanaugh, who contort the law and U.S. Constitution to conform to their political and religious positions, should return to the private practice of law, and not be promoted to the Supreme Court."

The USW represents 850,000 workers in North America employed in many industries that include metals, rubber, chemicals, paper, oil refining and the service and public sectors.

The USW represents 850,000 workers in North America employed in many industries that include metals, rubber, chemicals, paper, oil refining and the service and public sectors. For more information: www.usw.org

CONTACT:
Wayne Ranick (412) 562-2444
[email protected]

SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW)