Members of the Florida delegation split over the U.S. Supreme Court deadlocking over whether public employees who aren’t union members can opt out of paying union fees.
After the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, the Supreme Court had a rare 4-4 tie in its Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association ruling. The decision leaves the Ninth Circuit Court’s ruling in favor of public unions in place, ensuring public employees who aren’t union members will have to pay fees to the unions.
Critics argue the Ninth Circuit Court’s ruling infringes First Amendment rights. U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., offered his take on the Supreme Court’s decision after its ruling on Tuesday.
“Today was a defeat for an individual’s right to free speech and a victory for union intimidation,” Yoho said. “I was under the impression that the federal government is supposed to protect our personal freedoms. In Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association, the question at hand was, do teachers and government employees have to contribute money to cover the cost of collective bargaining, even if they do not agree with their union’s political stance. The Supreme Court’s deadlock today assures that they do.
“It is a sad day when everyday citizens are forced to pay for something they don’t agree with or want to be involved in,” Yoho added. “While this is a setback, we must do what we can to ensure that our freedoms are not further eroded.”
But Democrats from Florida, including U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., cheered the decision.
“As a former teacher and principal, and the ranking Democrat on the House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, I am extremely pleased that the precedent has been upheld so that workers can continue to band together to fight for better wages and benefits,” Wilson said on Tuesday. “While they may not always be in complete union about political issues, they all appreciate how important it is to receive a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work so they can take care of their families and that their rights are protected. The existence of strong unions ensures that.
“Today’s ruling is a win-win for unions and working families,” Wilson added.
President Barack Obama has nominated federal Judge Merrick Garland to replace Scalia but the GOP Senate leadership has vowed to hold off any action on the nomination until after the presidential election.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
