AFTER FRIEDRICHS, CHICAGO JUDGE NIXES 'FAIR SHARE' FEE SUIT
Posted On: Oct 03, 2016
CHICAGO, IL - A Chicago federal judge on Friday tossed a lawsuit brought by Illinois state workers challenging union payroll deductions, reports the Cook County Record's Jonathan Bilyk. The case was originally brought by Gov. Bruce Rauner against government workers' unions in an effort to stop them from requiring so-called "fair share" fees from union non-members. U.S. District Judge Robert Gettlemen ruled in May 2015 that Rauner had no standing to bring the case, then allowed two state workers to intervene, replacing Rauner as the plaintiffs. But Gettlemen dismissed the suit Friday, citing the Supreme Court's ruling earlier this year that upheld the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals' decision in Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association. That ruling (a 4-4 tie that let the lower court's decision stand) said public unions were entitled to fair share fees.