State files lawsuit against public employee union

Attorney General Kevin Clarkson filed a lawsuit Monday against the state’s largest public employee union, alleging state employees’ right to freedom of speech are being violated.

The suit was filed against the Alaska State Employees Association (ASEA) for refusing to stop deducting union dues from employee paychecks.

The lawsuit stems from a legal opinion issued by the Attorney General on Aug. 27 which said that the state was not in compliance with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Council 31, in 2018.

That decision found that because public sector unions engage in political activity such as lobbying and political advocacy that all members may not agree with, forcing members to pay union dues was equivalent to forcing those members to support speech against their wishes.

Read more: https://www.juneauempire.com/news/state-files-lawsuit-against-public-employee-union/