Columbus, OH – On Friday, The Buckeye Institute filed an amicus brief in Alaska v. Alaska State Employees Association (ASEA) urging the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case and allow states to adopt commonsense policies that inform public employees of their constitutionally protected Janus rights to quit government unions and stop paying union dues.

“While public employees have the right to end their union membership and the right to stop paying union dues, these rights have little practical value if workers are unaware of their rights and can only assert them in a time and manner dictated by the union,” said Jay R. Carson, senior litigator at The Buckeye Institute. “This case gives the court the opportunity to clarify its Janus decision and allow states to provide workers with the information they need to make well-informed decisions regarding union membership.”   

In its brief, The Buckeye Institute argues that Alaska was well within its rights when it adopted commonsense policies that required public employees to be informed of their First Amendment rights under Janus and when it standardized the opt-out process for all public employees. Unions opposed Alaska’s policies for the simple fact that the unions financially benefit when they can make it difficult for workers to quit the union and when unions can illegally take wages from workers who have already quit the union. In Alaska v. ASEA, the U.S. Supreme Court can clarify that the government and unions have a duty to inform workers of their constitutionally protected Janus rights.

# # #

UPDATE: On January 16, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court denied cert in Alaska v. Alaska State Employees Association.