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Patricia Whittaker, a 911 operator in Chicago, has successfully asserted her First Amendment rights according to the Janus v. AFSCME Supreme Court decision, as supported by the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation. Whittaker sought legal assistance from the Foundation after the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 21 union officials continued to deduct dues from her paycheck without her consent.
Whittaker's situation involved prolonged resistance from IBEW union officials despite the 2018 Supreme Court ruling, which mandates that public sector employees must consent before union dues are deducted from their paychecks. Following proceedings by the Foundation's attorneys at the Illinois Public Employment Relations Board (PERB), the union ceased its demands for dues.
The union claimed a lack of power over the deductions, directing Whittaker between themselves and her employer, perpetuating the deductions. This situation mirrored a previous case involving Rhonda Younkins, another Chicago 911 operator, who also fought against similar dues practices by IBEW Local 21.
