Teachers Need More Freedom to Truly Celebrate this National Employee Freedom Week

This week, educators across the country observe National Employee Freedom Week, a national effort to inform public-sector employees about their right to choose which type of association membership — if any — is right for them.

But for too many teachers across the country, this freedom is being limited and so there is less to celebrate.

In 2018, the Supreme Court ruled in Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) that public employees cannot be required to join a union or pay union dues as a condition of employment. Prior to this ruling, certain states allowed employee associations to charge non-members agency fees, essentially forcing them to fund causes that didn’t align with their values.

Although Janus v. AFSCME was a big step forward for educators’ rights, many still face barriers to exercising those rights. In over 40 states, unions still place restrictions on educators trying to exercise their rights and disaffiliate, forcing these teachers to pay hundreds of dollars to an organization they do not want to support.

That is correct. Despite a settled, constitutionally-guaranteed freedom to choose whether or not to join a union, most teachers’ unions across the country are restricting teachers’ ability to make their own decisions about union membership.