Traditional media as well as Twitter and other social media outlets are ablaze with coverage, advocacy and commentary on the U.S. Supreme Court oral argument today in Friedrichs v. California Teacher’s Association, which has positioned itself to overturn forty years of precedent allowing public employees to be forced, as a condition of their employment, to pay dues to a chosen labor union.
Those counting votes noted an apparent Court majority that appears in favor of reversing the precedent in Abood v. Detroit Board of Education that in 1977 allowed unions and government entities to negotiate such compulsory arrangements. It is always difficult to predict the outcome of a court case, high-profile Supreme Court cases being no exception.
Links to some of the major articles are below:
New York Times: Supreme Court seems poised to Deal Unions a Major Setback
Washington Post: Justices critical of forced union fees for public workers
Wall Street Journal: High Court appears to oppose public-sector union fees
The Hill: Supreme Court casts doubt on mandatory union fees
LA Times: Supreme Court conservatives appear ready to overturn mandatory union fees
A decision is expected before the Supreme Court adjourns for this term in June.
