By Richard Wolf and Gregory Korte | USA TODAY |
A deeply divided Supreme Court dealt a major blow to the nation’s public employee unions Wednesday that likely will result in a loss of money, members and political muscle.
After three efforts in 2012, 2014 and 2016 fell short, the court’s conservative majority ruled 5-4 that unions cannot collect fees from non-members to help defray the costs of collective bargaining. Those fees, permitted under a 1977 high court decision, violate the free speech rights of those who do not want to contribute, the court said.
Justice Samuel Alito wrote the decision, announced on the final day of the court’s term, which featured 13 similar 5-4 rulings with the same ideological lineup. In dissent, Justice Elena Kagan, joined by the court’s three other liberals, accused the majority of “weaponizing the First Amendment.”
