California’s Proposition
32, which would have blocked companies and unions from
automatically deducting money from employees to use to fund
campaigns or candidates, died at the polls in November. As Reason’s
Jesse Walker once
argued, there are serious civil liberties issues with getting
the government involved (well, more involved) in what
should be a private relationship between employers and employees.
If union members don’t want their dues to be used on certain
political campaigns, it’s up to them to fight for change.

Now a small group of teachers in California are doing exactly
that. They want out. The Associated Press
reports:

Ten California schoolteachers filed a lawsuit Tuesday against
the politically powerful California Teachers Association to escape
paying union fees that they claim violate their
free-speech rights.

The teachers — represented by the conservative Center for
Individual Rights — are taking aim at laws that allow unions to
collect certain fees from workers who don’t want to join. The
lawsuit argues that the fees end up supporting union lobbying and
political activity, not contract negotiations as intended.

A CTA spokesman responded apparently unironically that the
lawsuit was an attempt to dilute workers’ rights.

Follow this story and more at Reason
24/7.

Spice up your blog or Website with Reason 24/7 news and
Reason articles. You can get the widgets
here. If you have a story that would be of
interest to Reason’s readers please let us know by emailing the
24/7 crew at 24_7@reason.com, or tweet us stories
at @reason247.

California’s Proposition
32, which would have blocked companies and unions from
automatically deducting money from employees to use to fund
campaigns or candidates, died at the polls in November. As Reason’s
Jesse Walker once
argued, there are serious civil liberties issues with getting
the government involved (well, more involved) in what
should be a private relationship between employers and employees.
If union members don’t want their dues to be used on certain
political campaigns, it’s up to them to fight for change.

Now a small group of teachers in California are doing exactly
that. They want out. The Associated Press
reports:

Ten California schoolteachers filed a lawsuit Tuesday against
the politically powerful California Teachers Association to escape
paying union fees that they claim violate their
free-speech rights.

The teachers — represented by the conservative Center for
Individual Rights — are taking aim at laws that allow unions to
collect certain fees from workers who don’t want to join. The
lawsuit argues that the fees end up supporting union lobbying and
political activity, not contract negotiations as intended.

A CTA spokesman responded apparently unironically that the
lawsuit was an attempt to dilute workers’ rights.

Follow this story and more at Reason
24/7.

Spice up your blog or Website with Reason 24/7 news and
Reason articles. You can get the widgets
here. If you have a story that would be of
interest to Reason’s readers please let us know by emailing the
24/7 crew at 24_7@reason.com, or tweet us stories
at @reason247.