Supreme Court: Idaho can stop union political deductions

[Bozita]

Source: Associated Press

Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Supreme Court: Idaho can stop union political deductions
Jesse J. Holland / Associated Press


WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld an Idaho law that bans cities, counties and school districts from allowing payroll deductions for a union's political activities, a blow to labor's political fundraising in that state.

Five labor unions and the Idaho state AFL-CIO had successfully challenged part of the law in the lower federal courts, saying the state's decision in 2003 to force local governments to eliminate a payroll deduction for political activities violated the First Amendment.

But "Idaho's law does not restrict political speech, but rather declines to promote that speech by allowing public employee checkoff for political activities," Chief Justice John Roberts said in the majority opinion.

Before 2003, Idaho employers could authorize both a payroll deduction for union dues and one for union political activities through a political action committee. But the state legislature in 2003 passed the Voluntary Contributions Act, which prohibits payroll deductions for political activities.

Read more: http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090224/BIZ/902240428/1361

[T Wolf]

1. The court HAS to be remade, by any means necessary. The right-wingers have to be removed

or they will continue to block progress in the US.

[Joanne98]

2. *&^%$# bastards! This court's got to go!

[lifesbeautifulmagic]

3. The republican war on the middle class, and especially

fair living wages continues.

[9119495]

4. In other news, the government may no longer withold taxes on

my pay check that support the defense establishment and the war in Iraq because I don't agree with that stuff.

Oh, wait...they can still do that stuff.

Is it still possible for Idaho to withdraw for IRAs or 403Bs? Couldn't it be argued that financial transactions are often political because shares in a company often support the lobbying and political action taken by the company for which the share is purchased? Anybody know if Idaho outlaws those actions as well?

[kristopher]

5. Let me get this straight

The employees on public payrolls at local, county and state levels in Idaho are not allowed to set up payroll deductions (thru the government -the employer) that are to be used explicitly for political activities?

Does that forbid me setting up a direct payment from my bank to the union for the same purpose?

Does this law and decision focus on the fact that the employer is the government and make the argument that the government shouldn't facilitate the political agenda of labor?

If so, and if it doesn't affect union members working in the private sector, I don't know that it is a bad law. The challenges faced by government employees are much different than the challenges faced by unions in the private sector.

[tanngrisnir3]

8. Exactly. Why people are crapping their pants about this is beyond them...

IOW, much outrage w/out much reason.

Love your union? Take something from your paycheck and give it to the union.

There is nothing here to complain about.

[Thothmes]

10. Have to agree

just mosie over to the union hall and stroke them a check. That does not seem unreasonable to me.

[tanngrisnir3]

11. Exactly. And yet, there will much pooing of pants by those....

who don't even bother to read what this about.

[davepc]

6. It was a 6-3 decision. Ginsburg ruled with Roberts and Scalia

Though she wrote her own opinion.

[Political Heretic]

7. I wish I had time to read it. I'd like to understand the reasoning.

[depakid]

9. That'll be an interesting read

As often as not, cases like this can end up as two edged swords.