Edweek reports on the issue of “right-to-work”, but with the untold prospective on how it relates to teaching.
In the lawsuit, the teachers focus only on the 35 to 40 percent of their dues payments that are used for political purposes, including donations to candidates and lobbying for legislation in Sacramento. Although paying this portion is optional, the teachers charge that the unions punish those who choose not to pay it by kicking them out of the union and denying them additional economic benefits, such as better disability and life insurance policies. The unions provide those benefits only to members. This coercion, the teachers argue, violates their constitutional right to free speech. About one in 10 teachers in California have opted out of paying the portion of dues supporting politicking and lobbying.
Link:
http://edsource.org/2015/another-lawsuit-challenges-teachers-unions-dues/77711#.VSrv9pOyKSr