>> Shannon: AN ENORMOUS SPIRITED
CROWD SHOWED UP AT THE COURT
HOUSE TODAY AND THE QUESTION IS
WHETHER EMPLOYEES CAN BE FORCE
TO PAY UNION FEES.
AND THE EMPLOYEE WHO STARTED IT
JOINS US LIVE.
CAN YOU IMAGINE COMMON YOU TOOK
THIS ON YOU'D U.S. SUPREME COURT
AND HAVE A DAY LIKE TODAY?
>> NEVER.
WE WERE NOT SURE WHETHER OR NOT
THE COURT WOULD HEAR OUR CASE
AND WE WERE THRILLED WHEN THEY
DID ACCEPT IT BUT TO GET THIS
FAR IS AN HONOR FOR AN AVERAGE
GUY.
>> Shannon: YOU SAID FROM THE
FIRST TIME YOU GOT YOUR PAYCHECK
AND THE FEE WAS TAKEN OUT YOU
NEVER HAD A FREEDOM.
>> I DON'T HAVE THE FREEDOM.
IT IS MANDATED AND SOME SAY IT'S
COERCED AND MY RIGHT TO SAY YES
IS JUST IMPORTANT AS THE RIGHT
TO SAY NO AND I NEVER PAID THE
OPPORTUNITY.
>> Shannon: THEY SAID BAR FEES
ARE TAKEN BY THE BAR ASSOCIATION
AND SAID ANY UNION MEMBER CAN
GET UP AND SAY THEY DON'T AGREE
WITH THE POSITION THE UNION IS
TAKING.
HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO HER?
>> IT'S DIFFERENT BETWEEN THE
BAR AND PUBLIC SECTOR UNION.
THE PUBLIC SECTOR UNION IS A
PRIVATE THIRD PARTY.
THAT I THINK THE MAIN DIFFERS.
>> Shannon: WE HEARD THAT FROM
JUSTICE KENNEDY THAT YOU
SHOULDN'T BE FORCE TO SUBSIDIZE
THE POLITICAL SPEECH OF A
PRIVATE PARTY.
IS THAT WHAT YOU FEEL YOU'RE
BEING ASKED TO DO?
>> AN EXAMPLE I CAN GIVE IS IN
THE CHICAGO AREA THEY TRIED TO
PUT IN A SODA TAX AND THE UNION
LOBBIED FOR THE SODA TAX.
WHY ARE THEY LOBBY FIRING SODA
TAX?
WHAT'S IT HAVE TO DO WITH WAGES
FOR MEMBERS.
>> Shannon: THE GOVERNOR AND THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL ARE ON OPPOSITE
SIDES AND HERE'S WHAT SHE SAYS
THE CASE IS ABOUT.
>> THIS CASE IS NOT ABOUT IMPING
-- IMPINGING ON RIGHTS IT'S
ABOUT RIGHT-WING EXTREMISTS
WANTING TO ELIMINATE UNIONS.
>> Shannon: SHE SAID IT'S ABOUT
A CASE OF RIGHT-WING EXTREMISTS
WHO WANT TO ELIMINATE UNIONS.
IT'S NOT ABOUT YOUR FIRST
AMENDMENT RIGHT?
>> WELL, HAVE HER
FIRST-AMENDMENT RIGHTS BEEN
ABRIDGED?
MINE HAVE.
DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT OF FREEDOM
OF ASSOCIATION GUARANTEED BY THE
BILL OF RIGHTS.
AND SO THEREFORE HOW CAN SHE SAY
THAT.
MY FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS HAVE
BEEN ABRIDGED BECAUSE I HAVEN'T
BEEN GIVEN THE CHOICE.
WE HAVE 22 STATES INCLUDING
ILLINOIS THAT MANDATE THESE
FEES.
AND BECAUSE THEY MAN DAYS THE
FEES WE HAVE TO PAY WHETHER WE
LIKE IT OR NOT.
IF WE DON'T PAY, WE LOSE OUR
JOBS.
>> Shannon: YOU SAID YOUR NOT
ANTI-UNION BUT AGAINST FORCING
PEOPLE TO PAY FEES.
>> IF UNIONS SUCH A GREAT JOB
AND HAVE SUCH A GREAT PRODUCT
WOULDN'T PEOPLE FLOCK TO THEM
AND VOLUNTARILY PAY?
WHICH SOME DO BUT THERE'S A