Unions dinged by court ruling, but buoyed by Democrats

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey's influential public unions got a boost this year when Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy took over state government from their perennial foe, Republican Chris Christie, but now they're facing headwinds from Washington.

The Supreme Court this week ruled in a 5-4 decision to scrap a 41-year-old decision that allowed states to require public employees pay some fees to unions that represent them, even if the workers choose not to join.

In New Jersey, where an estimated three in five public workers are union members — nearly twice the national rate — there has been little evidence so far that the organizations' political clout has fallen, though Republicans are hopeful.