By Nick Gale, WLS-AM 890 News
(CHICAGO) — The United States Supreme Court Thursday has decided to take up a case where an Illinois man says it is against his freedom of speech to pay into unions that he and others don’t support.
The court could decide to overturn a previous SCOTUS ruling made some 40 years ago that allows public sector unions to collect fees from non-members.
Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner says it is an important first step toward ending the unconstitutional practice of dipping into the paychecks of hardworking State employees and forcing them to pay into the union coffers, even if they are not members of the union.
“No person should be forced to give up a portion of their pay each month to fund public sector union activity against their will,” Rauner said. “It’s a fundamental violation of their First Amendment right to free speech and association. I am hopeful the Court will see it that way in the end.”
The Court has questioned this practice twice in the past five years. Most recently in June of 2016, when it split 4-4, following the death of Justice Scalia. By granting certiorari in Janus v. AFSCME Thursday, the Court is again indicating that it’s concerned about the constitutional implications of forcing non-union members to fund union activities.
The Court has agreed to resolve this question by the time its current session ends, next June.
Copyright 2017 WLS-AM News
