Advocates celebrated the Supreme Court’s March 29^th decision that keeps current law regarding public union fees intact. The Court’s 4-4 ruling in the Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association case means that public employees who don’t join a union can continue to be charged an “agency” or “fair share” fee to pay for costs that the union incurs outside of political activities, like for collective bargaining. A ruling against the California Teachers Association could have severely hurt public sector unions, which fight for better wages and working conditions for millions of American workers – whether or not they are union members. The 4-4 ruling leaves other lower court decisions in place, but lower courts have favored longstanding precedent supporting union fair share fees. For additional information and responses, see these statements from the National Education Association, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the Service Employees International Union.
Advocates also cheered the high Court’s unanimous April 4^th ruling that states must continue to draw congressional districts based on total population, not only on the eligible voter population. Many advocates opposed the challenge to the current law, noting that basing congressional districts only on eligible voters would mean millions of non-voters, including children, non-citizens, disenfranchised citizens and anyone else ineligible to vote living in the U.S., would no longer be represented.

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