The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing a First Amendment case this week involving home care providers in Chicago who care for disabled adults and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). More than 20,000 home care workers joined the SEIU to negotiate pay increases but the National Right to Work Foundation, which opposes unions, contends that workers who don’t want to join the union should be forced to pay dues, a common union practice known as “fair share fees,” the LA Times reported.  The union says this across-the-board levying of dues is justified because all home care  workers in the state have benefitted from its advocacy efforts.
 
The foundation has also accused Gov. Pat Quinn and the SEIU of attempting to reclassify private care providers as state employees to collect more union fees. Workers had to become union members to be employed by the state.  SEIU’s contract with the state increased pay for home care workers from  $7 to $11.65 per hour and won health insurance and other benefits.