Gorsuch Likely Spells the End of Fees for Public Sector Unions

Oral arguments begin Monday before the Supreme Court over agency fees that public-sector unions have been allowed to collect from non-members for decades, thanks to a 1977 High Court ruling.

Barring a major upset, the addition of Neil Gorsuch means this Supreme Court likely will overturn Abood v. Detroit Board of Education, spelling the end of those fees, Axios reports.

If not for the death of Antonin Scalia two years ago after oral arguments, fees were on their way out in 2016. Instead, the Supreme Court was knotted 4-4 and the unions earned a reprieve.

But with the capacity of the court restored with Gorsuch, a staunch conservative jurist, like Scalia, the decision is all but a fait accompli.

Zapping unions' ability to collect fees from non-members would have a deleterious effect on them, weakening them overall and reducing their political muscle on shrinking a major base of Democrats, Axios reports.

Further, a ruling that unbinds non-members from paying fees could have the ripple effect of union members ceasing to pay dues.

A decision is expected in June.

• George Will: Supreme Court Can Stop Coerced Union Fees
• Supreme Court Labor Unions Blow: Gorsuch Puts Non-member Dues at Risk