Eleven employees in the Jefferson County public school district have filed a lawsuit saying they shouldn’t be forced to pay union fees if they don’t want to be part of the union.
The suit alleges the requirement that nonmembers pay a “fair share” fee to the union is unconstitutional.
A fair share fee is the amount a nonmember of a union must pay to support collective bargaining activities. The fee is lower than the dues paid by union members because it does not include money the union would use for political activities.
The suit says the plaintiffs object to many of the public policy positions the union advocates. They also object to being represented by them since they believe the union’s actions do not reflect their best interests or the interests of other Job 1A classified employees.
Job 1A classified employees include clerical workers, secretaries, bookkeepers and librarians.
The suit says the compulsory fee collection infringes on the plaintiffs’ First Amendment rights “because compulsory fee requirements compel employees to support speech and petitioning against their will, and to associate with a union against their will.”
The suit asks that even if the court upholds the fees, it provides certain procedural protections to ensure nonmembers are not paying dues for political activities.
The suit was filed against the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, some of its local affiliates, the Jefferson County Public Schools’ board and Jefferson County Public School Superintendent Donna Hargens. The suit was filed by attorneys with the National Right to Work Foundation.
Source: AP
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