April 3, 2024 — PEF is always focused on building a strong and robust membership, but since the Supreme Court’s 2018 decision in Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) — which ruled that workers employed by a government entity do not have to pay union dues in order to work a public service job — the union has made it a top priority.
In 2022, PEF led among public-sector locals across the country who participated in SEIU’s “Together We Rise” initiative. Now, only a few months into 2024, PEF is once again near the top of the SEIU local pack, with 1,601 new members joining the union’s ranks as of March 21, 2024.
“At 32% of our annual new member sign-up goal (5,000 in 2024), we are definitely ahead for the year,” said Director of Organizing Scott Harms. “The Organizing Department continues to identify areas that need additional assistance in signing up new members so that we can keep these numbers strong and reach our goals for 2024.”
As of February 2024, there are nearly 51,500 dues-paying members of PEF.