Court Upholds Dues by College Employees

A California law requiring thousands of university and college employees to pay union dues has survived a series of lawsuits sponsored by the Virginia-based National Right to Work Foundation.

The group on Monday lost an appeal in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in a case against the California Faculty Assn., which represents 20,000 faculty members in the California State University system.

The litigation initially was against 20 unions representing 93,000 employees, all of whom were forced to pay at least a “fair share” of union dues under a law signed two years ago by Gov. Gray Davis. That share is the amount that goes directly to collective bargaining and contract administration, not political work.

Before the law, a majority of covered employees opted not to pay dues. Attorney Glenn Rothner, who represented the faculty association, said the union gained bargaining clout under the new law and was thus able to sign its best contract earlier this month.

Foundation Vice President Stefan Gleason said the group was considering an appeal to the Supreme Court.