U.S. Supreme Court Declines to Hear Three Post-Janus Cases Over Union Dues

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear three cases in which some educators argue that unions continue to violate their First Amendment rights three years after a landmark ruling that made collecting fees from “nonconsenting” public sector employees unconstitutional.

The plaintiffs in the first two cases, Troesch v. Chicago Teachers Union and Fischer v. Murphy in New Jersey, said that so-called “escape periods” — short windows of time in which employees can opt out of paying union dues — are allowing states to avoid compliance with the court’s 2018 decision in Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Council 31.

In Janus, the court ruled that the fees violate non-union members’ First Amendment rights because that money subsidizes political and policy positions.

The court on Monday also denied a request to hear a case from a Chicago teacher, Joseph Ocol, who argues he should receive a refund for the union fees he paid. Ocol has refused to join the picket line in the past two Chicago teacher strikes in 2016 and 2019.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-supreme-court-declines-hear-192931559.html