Oral arguments begin in Friedrichs, a case that builds on Foundation Supreme Court precedents to challenge forced dues for civil servants

Washington, DC (January 10, 2016) – Mark Mix, president of the National Right to Work Foundation, issued the following statement regarding oral arguments in Friedrichs, a case brought by California public school teachers that challenges the constitutionality of mandatory union dues:

“For too long, union officials have been allowed to force teachers and other public employees to pay money to a union they don’t support just to work for their own government. Our hope is that the case the Supreme Court hears today will end this injustice once and for all.

“In Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association, the United States Supreme Court is presented with a unique opportunity to end forced union dues in the public sector. In Harris v. Quinn and Knox v. SEIU – two recent, Foundation-won precedents – the High Court suggested that it was time to revisit the constitutionality of forcing civil servants to pay dues to unions they don’t belong to or support. We expect that the Court will follow through on those opinions and free public employees across the country from the burden of mandatory union dues.

“Drawing on decades of experience in the field of labor law, Foundation staff attorneys filed an amicus brief in support of the plaintiffs and thoroughly examined the arguments presented by both sides. Our litigators believe that the merits of the arguments in Friedrichs clearly favor the plaintiffs’ First Amendment rights.

“Whatever the outcome in Friedrichs, National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys stand ready to assist employees whose rights have been violated by forced unionism. As we have since our founding in 1968, we will continue to work toward the day when no employee is forced to pay union dues just to get or keep a job.”

Foundation experts are available to comment on the Friedrichs case and any other related issues. For more information, contact Will Collins at (703) 770-3317 or via email at wfc@nrtw.org.

The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization providing free legal aid to employees whose human or civil rights have been violated by compulsory unionism abuses. The Foundation, which can be contacted toll-free at 1-800-336-3600, assists thousands of employees in about 200 cases nationwide per year.