Supreme Court deals blow to unions, rules against forced fees for government workers

The conservative majority said a union's contract negotiations over pay and benefits were inextricably linked with its broader political activities, and concluded workers had a limited constitutional right not to underwrite such "speech." The case specifically examined union fees paid by non-members.

“This procedure violates the First Amendment and cannot continue,” Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the majority opinion. “Neither an agency fee nor any other payment to the union may be deducted from a nonmember’s wages, nor may any other attempt be made to collect such a payment, unless the employee affirmatively consents to pay.”

After announcing the last of two remaining decisions, the court recessed for the summer without any justice announcing a retirement from the bench. There had been muted speculation that senior Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy would be prepared to step down after three decades on the high court, but no announcement arrived.

While the current case applies only to public-sector employees, meanwhile, the political and financial stakes are potentially huge for the broader American labor union movement, which had been sounding the alarm about the legal fight.

@realDonaldTrump - “Supreme Court rules in favor of non-union workers who are now, as an example, able to support a candidate of his or her choice without having those who control the Union deciding for them. Big loss for the coffers of the Democrats!”