Small Business Laments Loss in First Amendment Case on which Supreme Court Deadlocked

No decision by SCOTUS in California case means teachers can be forced to finance union
activities they oppose

Washington, DC (March
29, 2016) – A 4-4
tie on the Supreme Court this morning in a case over whether public teachers
must pay union fees even if they don’t support union activities effectively
upholds a system rigged against taxpayers, said the National Federation of Independent
Business (NFIB) today. 

“Forcing public employees to
finance union activities even when they disagree with those activities is an
obvious violation of the First Amendment,” said Karen Harned, Executive Director of the NFIB Small Business
Legal Center.

NFIB filed in support of a
group of California teachers who declined union membership but who were
nevertheless forced to pay union fees.  According to Harned, the shakedown
hurts more than just teachers.

“Government unions exert
tremendous pressure on public officials to increase spending and raise
taxes.  That hurts the small businesses that pay the taxes,” she
said.  “The 9th Circuit ruling upholds a rigged system.”

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