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A professor of political science at St. Cloud State University sued the institution and its faculty union Friday, arguing that forcing her to pay union fees violates her First Amendment rights in light of a recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Star Tribune reported. The professor, Kathleen Uradnik, is a not a member of the union but pays it fees and agrees to its exclusive representation as terms of her employment on campus.
Uradnik is seeking a court order declaring that forcing her to submit to exclusive representation by the union violates her rights, as well as a judgment against discrimination toward nonunion instructors. The recent Supreme Court decision on unions, Janus v. AFSCME Council 31, held that public employees do not have to pay unions agency fees if they don’t want to. But it did not go so far as to call into question a federal law on exclusive representation. Uradnik’s case argues that union membership is essential to advancement and taking part in meaningful shared governance on her campus, and that it no longer should be. A university spokesperson could not immediately be reached for comment.
