UNION SKULLDUDGERY AS USUAL

Dear Conservatives,

The nine justices of the United States Supreme Court are considering arguments made by National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys that forced union dues for civil servants are incompatible with the First Amendment.

Over the years, Foundation staff attorneys have fought tooth-and-nail for independent-minded workers, winning many limited protections -- protections union bosses frequently go out of their way to violate or ignore.

A new Foundation-won victory highlights once again the need for full Right to Work protections.

With free legal aid from Foundation staff attorneys, a Long Island teacher won a settlement after teacher union bosses stiffed charities that were supposed to receive donations in her name.


You see, workers in forced-unionism states who have conscientious, religious objections to union membership have the right to ask to have any forced fees diverted to a charity.

In 2005, Brentwood School District teacher Maureen Stavrakoglou reached an agreement with Brentwood Teachers Association (BTA) and New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) union bosses to redirect her forced fees to a charity.

Charities she selected included the Wounded Warrior Project, New York City Firefighters Burn Center Foundation, and Make-a-Wish Foundation.

But teacher union bosses never made the donations to at least two other charities she selected, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation.

The settlement requires the unions to make up for every missed donation from 2006 to 2013, plus interest, and to provide receipts by February 4.

Teachers and other government-sector employees shouldn't have to jump through hoops to exercise their freedom of association -- including their freedom not to associate with a cause or group they oppose.

With your support, Foundation attorneys just made that argument at the U.S. Supreme Court.

Thank you for helping us take these cases, win them, and enforce and expand our past victories.

Sincerely,

Mark Mix

P.S. The Foundation relies completely on voluntary contributions from our 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.