Supreme Court agrees to hear case challenging worker rights

In a decision that was widely expected, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association, a case challenging public employee rights in the workplace.

Tuesday’s action was widely condemned by labor unions, who said the case represents a threat to all workers. The court agreed to review and act on an appeal of a Court of Appeals decision in its next session beginning in October.

Rebecca Friedrichs, a teacher in Buena Vista, Calif., sued the California Teachers Association because she was required to pay union dues to cover the cost of representation. If upheld by the court, public employees could enjoy the benefits of a union contract without having to pay for them. Deprived of resources, public sector unions – now among the largest in the country – would be weakened.

The presidents of five major unions issued a joint statement on the Supreme Court’s announcement.

AFSCME President Lee Saunders, National Education Association President Lily Eskelsen García, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, California Teachers Association President Eric C. Heins and Service Employees International Union President Mary Kay Henry said, “We are disappointed that at a time when big corporations and the wealthy few are rewriting the rules in their favor, knocking American families and our entire economy off-balance, the Supreme Court has chosen to take a case that threatens the fundamental promise of America — that if you work hard and play by the rules you should be able to provide for your family and live a decent life.

“The Supreme Court is revisiting decisions that have made it possible for people to stick together for a voice at work and in their communities — decisions that have stood for more than 35 years — and that have allowed people to work together for better public services and vibrant communities.

“When people come together in a union, they can help make sure that our communities have jobs that support our families. It means teachers can stand up for their students. First responders can push for critical equipment to protect us. And social workers can advocate effectively for children’s safety.

“America can’t build a strong future if people can’t come together to improve their work and their families’ futures. Moms and dads across the country have been standing up in the thousands to call for higher wages and unions. We hope the Supreme Court heeds their voices.”

National Nurses United, the largest U.S. organization of nurses, said the case “poses a significant threat to public health and safety and quality of life.”

“The intended effect,” warned NNU Co-President Jean Ross, RN, “is to essentially bankrupt public sector unions, including many nurse unions that advocate for patient safety, by allowing members to enjoy all the privileges of union representation, including wage increases, health coverage, pensions upon their retirement, and improved working conditions, while avoiding any financial responsibility to help support the work done by their union on their behalf.”



“The architects of this move are the management-linked groups, funded by some of the wealthiest corporate interests in the U.S. whose goal is to eliminate the ability of workers to have a voice in the workplace or limit the ability of corporations to put profits ahead of worker rights, workplace rights, and in the case of nurses, patient health and safety.”

Friedrichs v. CTA parallels the so-called “right to work” campaign by similar far right groups that have targeted unions in the private sector, and should be seen in the context of the broader attack on unions and worker’s rights that have resulted in a decline in union membership, stagnant wages for most workers, declining relative living standards, and a massive gap in income inequality, notes NNU.