Union dues case moves forward

District court renders judgment on pleadings

Statement by Terry Pell, President, Center for Individual Rights, in response to today’s U.S. District Court Decision on the Motion on the Pleadings in Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association

“The Center for Individual Rights is pleased that United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton has denied our motion for a decision on the pleadings, which means this case will now go to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

“With today’s decision, the ten California teacher plaintiffs we’re representing will be able to continue their efforts in obtaining the relief they are entitled to from the forced collection of union dues. These fees do nothing but cause ongoing and irreparable injury to their First Amendment rights.

“California’s ‘closed shop’ law is an egregious violation of one’s First Amendment rights because it forces all public school teachers to financially support highly controversial, political and ideological causes that often run contrary to their political and policy beliefs. Last year, the Supreme Court acknowledged in Knox v. Employees Intl. Union, 132 S.Ct.2277,2285 (2012) that compelled union dues are an exception to the First Amendment that probably can no longer be justified.

“With this case now one step closer to reaching the United States Supreme Court, our goal is to restore the constitutional right of millions of teachers to be able to decide for themselves whether to join and financially support a union.”

About The Center for Individual Rights:

The Center for Individual Rights is a non-profit public interest firm that specializes in civil rights, free speech, and other cases affecting individual rights. For more information visit CIR’s web site at https://www.cir-usa.org