NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — The Niagara Falls City Council is divided in its position on the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on unions.

Labor unions representing steel workers and the fire and police departments were among those gathered at City Hall prior to the council’s regular meeting Wednesday. They were in protest of the Janus decision, which says workers do not have to pay dues to a government union as a condition of employment.

Councilmember Chris Voccio sides with the Supreme Court; most of the other councilmembers do not.

“If the Supreme Court decision gives employees freedom that they didn’t have before, I think freedom is a good thing,” he said.

Other members of the council adopted a resolution in opposition to the ruling, with Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster calling it an attack on unions.

The resolution says the ruling undercuts the union’s financial viability and undermines their “influence on politics and public policy on behalf of working people.”

Voccio believes the ruling will have minimal impact on city workers as “there are very few of our employees who have paid agency fees.” He added that councilmembers siding with the unions are neglecting taxpayers with that stance.

Councilmember Bill Kennedy, on the other hand, calls unions the “bloodline” of the city. “They are the backbone that makes Niagara Falls what it is. We need to support our local workers.”