Leave it to the union lawyers to deny the plain meaning of the English language.
Lawyers for the radical Service Employees International Union (SEIU) want the U.S. Supreme Court to believe that a "Political Fight-Back Fund" had nothing to do with politics.
Next week, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments inKnox v. SEIU 1000, a class-action lawsuit brought by Foundation attorneys for eight California government workers, including two former union members, challenging a corrupt political fundraising scheme.
You see, back in 2005, SEIU Local 1000 union bosses demanded a "special assessment" to raise money from every single state employee covered by a union monopoly bargaining contract for a "Political Fight-Back Fund."
Union bosses claimed they needed these "extra" millions to defeat ballot initiatives that would limit their monopoly power over government workers and stranglehold on California taxpayers -- demonstrating once again how forced dues corrupt the political process.
They also announced they would spend the money on "a broad range of political expenses, including television and radio advertising" and "get out the vote activities."
But, thanks to previous Right to Work Foundation victories at the Supreme Court, union bosses cannot compel independent workers to pay dues or fees that fund union politics.
In 1986, the Court unanimously ruled in Chicago Teachers Union v. Hudson that government-sector union bosses must provide employees with an audited breakdown of the union's expenditures and an opportunity to challenge the union's calculations of any forced dues or fees.
SEIU union bosses simply ignored the law with regard to the "special assessment" and denied workers any chance to opt out.
In 2008, a federal district court ruled against SEIU union bosses, requiring that they provide workers their rights under Hudson and refund any monies spent (plus interest) on union-boss politics to nonmembers who exercise their right to refrain from subsidizing the union's political fund.
A panel of the ultra-liberal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals -- Big Labor's favorite appeals court -- overturned that decision, effectively encouraging union bosses to seize forced dues for politics from unwilling workers.
Allowing the Ninth Circuit's ruling to stand would further undermine state employees' First Amendment rights, so we took our case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
A Foundation-won precedent at the Supreme Court would provide additional protections to every government employee across the entire country.
That's why Big Labor wants to make the case just go away.
Fearing an embarrassing loss, union lawyers have begged the Supreme Court to toss out the case after offering to pay back all of the money to objecting employees.
But we are determined to not let that happen.
The union bosses' cynical maneuver is a tacit admission to the effectiveness of the Foundation's legal aid program made possible by the generosity of our supporters.
Sincerely,
Mark Mix
P.S. The Foundation relies completely on voluntary contributions from its supporters to provide free legal aid.
Please chip in with a tax-deductible contribution of $10 or more today to support the Foundation's programs.
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