VOICES-The latest legal assault on the right of the state’s public-sector unions to collect dues was filed in Los Angeles earlier this month by StudentsFirst, the Sacramento-based, national school-privatization organization.
The federal suit, Bain v. California Teachers Association, was brought on behalf of four California public school teacher union members who claim that the state’s current “fair share” rules infringe on their rights by forcing them to choose between paying for union-supported political causes with which they disagree or quitting the union. It seeks to bar unions from collecting dues money earmarked for political purposes as a condition of membership.
At stake are an estimated tens of millions of dollars — and a corresponding political clout — that unions stand to lose if the suit succeeds in making voluntary the 30 percent to 40 percent of dues that members currently pay for political activities.
In addition to California Teachers Association and its parent organization, the National Education Association, the suit names as defendants the California Federation of Teachers (CFT) and its parent, the American Federation of Teachers, as well as United Teachers Los Angeles. (Disclosure: The CTA and CFT are financial supporters of Capital & Main.)
Also being sued are the union locals where three of the teachers work along with the superintendents of Los Angeles Unified (LAUSD), West Contra Costa Unified and Arcadia Unified school districts. (Read the rest.)
CityWatch
Vol 13 Issue 33
Pub: Apr 21, 2015
