If you don’t want to give $1,200 a year to an organization that doesn’t prioritize your safety, you can stop. How is this possible?
In June of 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that public employees—including teachers, first responders, and state, county, and municipal employees—are protected by the First Amendment from having to financially support any union activity. This means that, before a union is authorized to collect money from a public employee, the employee must consent. And public employees never have to subsidize any union activity as a condition of employment. You can read in detail about that U.S. Supreme Court case here.
You have a constitutional right to stop paying the union. And if you decide to leave the union, you can be assured that you won’t lose your benefits, pension, or seniority.
If you need help resigning from your union, or if you have a story to tell about your experience with the union, we want to hear from you.