Helping Pro-life Employees #defundPlannedParenthood

Alexandra Snyder, Executive Director
Life Legal Defense Foundation


A public school teacher contacted Life Legal a few days ago expressing concern that her union dues were being used to promote a pro-abortion agenda. She felt pressured by her peers and unions reps to stay in the union, but we told her she has the right to OPT OUT of paying dues that fund Planned Parenthood and its allies.

The National Education Association (NEA), with over 3 million members, is the nation’s largest and arguably most powerful union. The NEA holds nearly $400 million in assets and spends its members' dues on pro-abortion candidates, initiatives, and organizations—including Planned Parenthood.

In June of this year, the United States Supreme Court handed down a major victory for free speech for all public employees. In Janus v. AFSCME, several employees in Illinois challenged the mandatory fee they paid to their public-sector union. The employees argued that they were forced to pay for political activities in furtherance of positions supported by the Union even though they themselves were adamantly opposed to these political positions. It was insufficient to reduce their mandatory contribution to a “fair share” amount because there was no way to accurately account for what monies were used for political and other activities as opposed to “neutral” collective bargaining activities. 

In a scathing opinion authored by Justice Alito and joined by four other justices, the Court made it very clear that forcing union members to support organizations and opinions that violate their beliefs is unconstitutional: 

• “We have held time and again that freedom of speech includes both the right to speak freely and the right to refrain from speaking at all.” 

• "Compelling individuals to mouth support for views they find objectionable violates that cardinal constitutional command, and in most contexts, any such effort would be universally condemned."

• "Forcing free and independent individuals to endorse ideas they find objectionable is always demeaning,"

• "For these reasons, States and public-sector unions may no longer extract agency fees from nonconsenting employ­ees."

Many union members’ personal beliefs are directly opposed to the positions taken by their union and supported by their union dues. For example, organizations and candidates that support pro-abortion policies often receive a disproportionate amount of union campaign contributions. According to a new study by the Center for Union Facts, 99% of union political contributions go to left-wing, pro-abortion causes. The study showed that major labor unions sent $1.3 billion to these groups over the past seven years. Planned Parenthood is one of the top ten groups that receive union funding.

For those who are pro-life and employed in a public sector union, the Supreme Court’s decision represents a new era of freedom. You can exercise your conscience rights and your money can now go to support political positions with which you agree.

 

If you or someone you know has been pressured, harassed, or threatened to keep from opting out of a union—or if the union has made it difficult for you to exercise your right to opt out, please contact Life Legal at 707.224.6675 or email us at info@lldf.org.

The mission of Life Legal Defense Foundation (LLDF) is to give innocent and helpless human beings of any age, particularly unborn children, a trained and committed defense against the threat of death, and to support their advocates in the nation’s courtrooms. LLDF will accomplish its mission and purpose through the law and education.   For more information or to make a donation to help them with their work, please use this link.