California nurse expands legal action against union over dues requirements

California does not have Right to Work laws. This allows unions like UNAC to enforce contracts requiring workers to pay dues or fees as a condition of employment. In contrast, neighboring states such as Arizona and Nevada maintain laws where all union membership and financial contributions are voluntary.

A Supreme Court decision in Communications Workers of America v. Beck established that even where mandatory dues are permitted, unions cannot force employees to fund activities beyond collective bargaining—such as political spending—without their explicit consent. Warthemann’s complaint states that UNAC representatives have “repeatedly demanded payment from [Warthemann] for non-chargeable political and ideological expenditures without [her] affirmative consent,” arguing these actions constitute illegal coercion under federal law.

“As the facts of this case demonstrate, the NLRB needs to step up to protect workers from being trapped into paying full union dues, including the portion used for union political activism,” said Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Foundation. “Union bosses are not above the law, they cannot be permitted to threaten and bully workers into paying dues that go towards union political activities that many workers find objectionable.”