U.S. Supreme Court

Solicitor General Paul Clement Resigns; But Not Soon Enough

Will Collins — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:23:09 -0400

Solicitor General Paul Clement resigned yesterday after seven years with the Bush Administration. As reported by Tony Mauro on the Legal Times blog, Right to Work advocates are thrilled to see him go:

"Paul Clement did not leave soon enough," said Stefan Gleason, vice president of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation in a statement. "He kicked the cause of employee freedom from compulsory unionism in the teeth once again before heading out the door."

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Is Bush's Top Lawyer Taking Orders from Big Labor?

Stefan Gleason — Tue, 13 May 2008 16:25:04 -0400

U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement, the Bush administration's top lawyer, has just inflicted more damage on America's working men and women laboring under compulsory unionism. Does President Bush even know what his administration's lawyer is doing?

This week, the too-clever-by-half lawyer filed a brief in the National Right to Work Foundation's latest pending U.S. Supreme Court case, Locke v. Karass, and has taken a position that surely must please the union bosses. The High Court in Locke will examine the criteria for determining how much non-union members must pay to a union where they do not enjoy the fundamental protection of a Right to Work law.

Another Week, Another U.S. Supreme Court Case

Justin Hakes — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 10:29:21 -0400

Adding the a string of cases supported by the National Right to Work Foundation, the U.S. Supreme Court took up another case Monday. At issue is whether a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision that limited the applicability of an Idaho state law banning payroll deductions for union Political Action Committees (PACs) will stand. Foundation attorneys urged the High Court to take up the case alongside the Sutherland Institute and Utah Taxpayers Association.

Foundation Vice President Stefan Gleason told the AP earlier this week that:

"Payroll deduction should not be a constitutionally protected right. We feel it's bad public policy to have government bodies essentially be bagmen for union political monies."

To read the full article, click here. To read more about the Foundation's Supreme Court track record, click here.

Hot Off the Presses: Read All About National Right to Work's Upcoming 14th Trip to U.S. Supreme Court

Justin Hakes — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:36:35 -0400

Read all about the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation's upcoming 14th U.S. Supreme Court battle on behalf State of Maine employees led by Mr. Dan Locke (pictured) in the March/April edition of Foundation Action, available first here today.

To sign up for a free hard copy version of this bi-monthly newsletter, sign up here. And to sign up for regular email updates on the battle against compulsory unionism, sign up on our home page.

Finally, don't forget to check out all the latest videos on the Right to Work YouTube channel.

U.S. Supreme Court Reviews Ruling Endorsing Coercive Union Organizing Today

Justin Hakes — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:57:08 -0400

Oral arguments take place this morning at the U.S. Supreme Court in a key case in which the Ninth Circuit reversed two of its earlier rulings and found that employers that receive state funds can be forced to implement coercive union organizing, including "card check" drives.

When the Supreme Court took up the case in November, National Right to Work Foundation Vice President Stefan Gleason had this to say:

“California officials are using the heavy hand of government to trample upon workers’ rights. Because union hierarchies seem to be having difficulties persuading employees to join unions voluntarily, they have resorted to coercive tactics in
order to maintain the flow of forced union dues."

Editorial: Coercion a Power Union Officials "Never Should Have Enjoyed in the First Place"

Justin Hakes — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 10:25:45 -0500

And speaking of which, a Las Vegas Review-Journal editorial today highlights the National Right to Work Foundation's recent work at the U.S. Supreme Court. The paper notes of the Locke case the High Court took up yesterday:

"The case is the latest instance of the justices addressing issues that could erode the power of labor unions," noted The Associated Press.

Yet, if limiting the ability of organized labor to use coercion to fund its agenda erodes union power, it's power these groups never should have enjoyed in the first place.

Couldn't have put it better ourselves. The AP also notes that the Foundation's 14 U.S. Supreme Court cases have all been "targeting unions," but fails to mention that every single case was on behalf of employees that wanted nothing to do with them.

No one should be forced to join or pay dues to an unwanted union, and that principle is at the very heart of each case the Foundation takes up.

Foundation-Won U.S. Supreme Court Ruling Resonates on the Strip in Las Vegas

Justin Hakes — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 09:49:00 -0500

A Las Vegas Review-Journal editorial today highlights the importance of the National Right to Work Foundation's Beck U.S. Supreme Court victory:

That ruling -- Communication Workers v. Beck -- is soundly grounded in the First Amendment. No one can be required to hand over money to someone else, if those funds will then be used to promote political views or causes which are anathema to the person whose money is being used.

Unfortunately, union officials commonly ignore and violate that principle, as borne out by the number of Beck enforcement cases the Foundation has. However, the article recognizes that as a Right to Work state, employees can go beyond cutting off union dues for politics.

Because no Nevadan can be required to join a union just to get or keep his or her job, disgusted union members here have an even more effective option. They can keep their jobs and quit the union.

With union officials in this context squabbling over which candidate to support, employees in Nevada deserve to know that they can not only cut off their dues going towards union political activities- they are free to pay none at all.

Right to Work Again Advances Arguments @ U.S. Supreme Court

Justin Hakes — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 10:37:12 -0500

The National Right to Work Foundation just filed a "friend of the court" brief supporting employee free choice at the U.S. Supreme Court in the Chamber v. Brown case. At issue is a controversial 9th Circuit decision that basically forces coercive union organizing on private companies receiving state funds.

Foundation attorneys have successfully helped contest similiar laws in Wisconsin, and through this brief in New York. Additionally, with 13 trips to the U.S. Supreme Court on record, most recently the 2007 Davenport defensive victory, Foundation attorneys are no strangers to the highest court in the land.