Sunday at the Movies (Teachers’ Unions)

In "Shining a Light on Union Spending", I wondered what would happen in Canada if teachers could find out how much of their dues their unions were spending on political causes and on themselves. So I thought our readers might be interested in what is happening in California where teachers already have access to this information. Now California teachers already have the right to opt out of their union; however, they still have to pay "agency fees" to their unions - about 65% of regular union fees - while not getting most of the benefits of union membership, like liability insurance and professional coverage. In this video, a California teacher explains why she and nine other teachers have appealed these agency fees to the Supreme Court. The interview took place before the Supreme Court agreed to hear their case. If the Supreme Court strikes down the unions' ability to charge agency fees, it is probable that a great many teachers (and other public servants) will opt out of their unions, thereby weakening the unions' power. 

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