Posted on 10/06/2005 9:10:36 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
A federal judge in San Jose refused Wednesday to restrain the California Teachers Association from bolstering its political campaign account by imposing an annual $60 surcharge on its members for the next three years.
U.S. District Court Judge James Ware's decision in a case filed by the Virginia-based Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation probably will allow the teachers union to raise and spend upwards of $50 million to contest Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's special election initiatives slated for the Nov. 8 ballot, representatives of both sides in the lawsuit said.
"This is fantastic," CTA chief counsel Beverly Tucker said. "We knew we were complying with the law anyway, but it's wonderful to have a court agree with you."
The right-to-work group announced it was filing the suit Sept. 22 in a news conference it held in front of the union's offices in downtown Sacramento. The action claimed that the CTA's political surcharge amounted to an involuntary loan that violated the constitutional rights of the 335,000 teachers the union represents, about 30,000 of whom are "agency fee payers" and not officially members of the labor organization, according to the union.
Foundation Vice President Stefan Gleason said Wednesday that "we are disappointed" the judge "didn't act swiftly."
"There is potential for irreparable harm here," Gleason said.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
U.S. District Court Judge James Ware
http://air.fjc.gov/servlet/tGetInfo?jid=2503
Ware, James
Born 1946 in Birmingham, AL
Federal Judicial Service:
U. S. District Court, Northern District of California
Nominated by George H.W. Bush on August 3, 1990, to a seat vacated by Robert F. Peckham; Confirmed by the Senate on September 28, 1990, and received commission on October 1, 1990.
That's just wrong.
Well, this should bollster support for the "protect your pocketbook" petition on the ballot. The idea is to force unions to ask for your money if they want to spend it on political issues. In this case the union just went ahead and imposed a surtax on the regular dues, all of which will go to defeating the law that would put a stop to this union theft. Good luck California, this election is the last chance you have.
Union members, excercise your rights - YES ON 75!!!
Isn't this why Arnold has his initiative about stopping this type of MANDATORY taking of teachers' money - money that is only used for DEMOCRAT OR LIBERAL campaigns ..??
Prop Seventy something ..Yup!
75 :-)
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