Judicial Activism of the Roberts' Court

"Throughout the month of June, I’ve been driving cross-country with my family to attend various conferences through out the United States. During this time, I have received much of the news from my 73-year old mother, a former-flower-child-turned-Fox-News fan. On June 21, my mother called to tell me about the Supreme Court’s latest labor law decision, Knox v. SEIU Local 1000, which she characterized as “reprimanding a union for forcing workers to pay for its political activities.” I told her that I’d get back to her.

"In Knox, the Supreme Court held that the First Amendment does not permit public-sector unions to require objecting nonmembers, absent express authorization (opt-in), to pay a special fee for the purpose of financing the union’s political and ideological activities. To understand that holding and its implications, it is necessary to delve into the complicated world of chargeable and non-chargeable expenses. ... "