In a 5-4 decision today, the Supreme Court delivered a decisive blow to unions by deeming forced fees illegal. Their decision in Janus v. AFSCME overturns the 1977 case Abood v. Detroit Board of Education, which had determined those fees legal since non-union employees benefitted from the union’s contract negotiations.
Janus, an employee at the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, had argued that the forced fees violated his First Amendment rights since those fees could be used for political funding.
“There is no doubt that this decision profoundly impacts whether public sector unions will exist in the future,” said Lauren Novak, a lawyer who has represented labor unions and employers. “Without the ability to collect fair share fees, many may not survive.”
Read more about the Supreme Court case and decision here.
