In a long-anticipated decision, the Supreme Court held in Janus v. AFSCME that compulsory “fair share” systems in the public sector violate the First Amendment rights of non-union members. The Court’s decision, breaking 5-4 along familiar party lines, overturns the Court’s 41-year landmark decision in Abood v. Detroit Bd. of Ed. upholding the legality of fair share. Fair share systems exist in the majority of states with statewide collective…
In what some have termed the most significant labor case in years, the United States Supreme Court has rejected a request to hold “fair share” assessments unconstitutional. “Fair share” assessments occur under the laws of 20 states which not only grant public employees the right to bargain, but also impose upon unions the duty to fairly represent all members of their bargaining units. Under “fair share” provisions,
In Knox v. Service Employees International Union, Local 1000, the Supreme Court for the first time raised question about the continuing legality of “fair share” or agency fees. “Fair Share” is a bargaining system where employees are free to be non-members of a union, but must pay to the union their “fair share” of the costs of negotiating and administering a collective bargaining agreement. Though the Supreme Court has…
