The Supreme Court is hearing arguments today on the case of Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association. The petitioners are seeking to end the agency fee that non-union members must pay to support collective bargaining activities because they contend it’s unconstitutional to have a mandatory payment for what they claim is political speech. This agency fee is a portion of the regular union dues and is intended to support only collective bargaining, not lobbying or political advocacy. Without this fee, non-union members would gain the benefits of the union’s collective bargaining efforts without any cost. The case has implications for public employees in at least 25 states, including California, where mandatory dues payments are used to underwrite union activity. The court’s decision is expected by June. More information: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/09/us/politics/union-fees-friedrichs-v-california-teachers-association.html?_r=0
