Union Allowed to Exclusively Represent Public Workers: 9th Cir.

Washington State’s authorization of the Service Employees International Union as the exclusive bargaining representative for public childcare workers didn’t infringe a worker’s First Amendment rights, a federal appeals court said.

Katherine Miller, a former SEIU member, alleged the arrangement violated her rights of free speech and association because SEIU necessarily spoke and negotiated on her behalf.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Minnesota State Board for Community Colleges v. Knight governs the case, a unanimous U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit panel said.

There, the Supreme Court said Minnesota didn’t violate the First Amendment rights of non-union members ...