Knox v. SEIU Oral Arguments Today

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Knox v. SEIU (SCOTUSBlog Case Page) today. You can read the transcript here. SCOTUSBlog describes the issues as:

(1) May a state, consistent with the First and Fourteenth Amendments, condition employment on the payment of a special union assessment intended solely for political and ideological expenditures without first providing a notice that includes information about that assessment and provides an opportunity to object to its exaction?

(2) May a state, consistent with the First and Fourteenth Amendments, condition continued public employment on the payment of union agency fees for purposes of financing political expenditures for ballot measures?

Plain English Issue: Does the First Amendment give state employees the right to decline to pay union dues used for political advocacy by the union?

Audio of the arguments should be available here on Friday.

Posted by Philip Miles, an attorney with McQuaide Blasko in State College, Pennsylvania in the firm's civil litigation and labor and employment law practice groups.