Anticipating a setback at the U.S. Supreme Court, several labor-friendly states passed Democratic-backed laws in recent months intended to protect a vital source of money for unions that was imperiled under a major ruling by the justices on Wednesday.
The high court ruled that non-members cannot be forced under laws in two dozen states to pay fees to unions representing public employees like teachers, police and firefighters in lieu of union dues. Union supporters had long feared such a ruling and got busy in state legislatures in advance of it to pursue laws that might blunt the effect of the decision.
At least six states have passed laws, some making it harder for non-union workers to stop paying the fees and others making it easier for unions to sign up new members, and more are expected elsewhere.
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