Los Angeles, California - Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today issued this statement following oral arguments in the U.S. Supreme Court in the case Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association.

“California’s long-term prosperity depends on the right of hard-working Californians – including teachers, firefighters, peace officers and nurses – to negotiate fair wages, benefits and protections. This case is about fairness: While no employee should be forced to pay for a union’s political speech outside the workplace, if a union represents all employees in negotiating and administering a collective bargaining agreement, then all the employees ought to share the costs of that representation. This has been the standard for the last 40 years, and there is no reason for the Supreme Court to change course now. We must protect California’s interests, fair and effective bargaining procedures, and public workers’ First Amendment rights.”