WASHINGTON, June 27 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement Wednesday after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that public sector unions cannot charge representation fees to non-members:

“To nobody’s surprise the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, sided with big money interests and against the needs of working people. Make no mistake about it: this decision is a direct assault on working families all over America. What the Koch brothers and other billionaires understand is that if they can destroy the trade union movement in America, it will make it even more difficult for workers to earn decent wages and benefits. Further, as the political power of working people is diminished, it will be much easier for corporate America and the Trump Administration to dismantle Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the Veterans Administration, the Postal Service, public education and virtually every law that has benefitted working people over the past 80 years. While today’s ruling is a major setback for working families, we must redouble our efforts to make it easier, not harder, to join a union. We cannot rebuild the disappearing middle class without revitalizing the trade union movement.”