News Notes: Nonmembers Can’t Be Forced to Pay for Union Organizing

A long-standing ruling by the National Labor Relations Board permitted unions to charge workers who were not union members fees that were used in organizing efforts in other workplaces. The rationale behind the rule was that nonunion workers derived a benefit from organizing efforts elsewhere because nonunion employers in the area would be forced to raise wages and benefits to compete for employees. Now the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has overturned the rule, holding that the United Food and Commercial Workers Union cannot require nonunion workers to pay any fees for organizing efforts outside their own place of employment.