Friedrichs to headline Friedman event

Rebecca Friedrichs, the teacher who battled against mandatory union membership fees all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, will speak at the Milton Friedman Legacy Day event, 5:30-8 p.m. on July 28th at the Crowne Plaza Minneapolis Northstar Hotel.

Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association challenged a previous ruling by the Supreme Court that teachers (who are not members of the teachers union) can be forced to pay their “fair share” of the union’s costs of collective bargaining. Friedrichs argued that collective bargaining is inherently political, and that by forcing her to fund it, she is being forced to fund the union’s political speech and agenda.

Following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, who had signaled strong support for Friedrichs’ theory, the court deadlocked 4-4 on the case in a March 29 ruling, handing organized labor a major victory.

Kim Crockett, vice president and senior policy fellow at Center of the American Experiment, said a 5-4 ruling would have brought right-to-work, or what she calls “employee freedom” to all public employees, not just teachers. This would mean that public employees could no longer be forced to give a portion of their paycheck to a union, in order to get or keep a public sector job.

The Center filed an amicus brief in support of Friedrichs and Kim was in Washington, D.C. standing with Rebecca Friedrichs when her case was heard.

The Center’s event is co-sponsored by the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, a group founded by Dr. Friedman and his wife, Rose. Ticket Price: $25. Register online at americanexperiment.org or through Samantha Peterson at [email protected] or 612-584-4559.