In Janus Case, Court Issues Major Anti-Labor Ruling, Eviscerating Power of Public-Sector Unions

Justice Anthony Kennedy's announcement came as the Supreme Court struck a major blow to organized labor Wednesday. In a 5-4 ruling written by Justice Samuel Alito, the court sided with Mark Janus, a child support specialist who argued that a state law in Illinois allowing unions to charge a fee for collective bargaining violated his First Amendment rights. The ruling nullifies so-called fair-share provisions and will leave public-sector unions deprived of millions of dollars in union dues. Mark Janus was supported by a host of right-wing groups including the Koch brothers' Americans for Prosperity and ALEC-the American Legislative Exchange Council. We speak to Dahlia Lithwick, senior editor at Slate.com.