our Case

Adams, et al v. Teamsters

No one should be forced to pay dues to a government union against their desires.

About Adams, et al v. Teamsters

Four mental health workers in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, tried for months to quit their government union, Teamsters Local 429, with no success.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Janus v. AFSCME that it is unconstitutional to require government workers to pay dues or fees to a government union as a condition of working in public service, but that is just what Teamsters Local 429 forced them to do.

In July 2018, just weeks after the Janus decision, our clients sent letters requesting to opt out of Teamsters 429. They discovered they would be forced to pay union dues until their union membership anniversary — an arbitrary opt-out window. After exhausting all options to exercise their rights with Lebanon County and Teamsters 429, they turned to the Liberty Justice Center for help.

The Liberty Justice Center has filed a lawsuit, Adams v. Teamsters, on their behalf in February 2019 to force the union to recognize workers’ First Amendment rights.

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Case Details

CASE NAME

Adams, et al v. Teamsters

Filed

February 27, 2019

Court

United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania

Status

Closed

Liberty Justice Center Attorneys

Jeffrey Schwab

Jeffrey M. Schwab

Jeffrey M. Schwab is a Senior Counsel at the Liberty Justice Center, where he litigates cases to protect the rights to free speech, economic liberty, private property and other Constitutional rights in both federal and state courts across the country.

Adams, et al v. Teamsters Details

The Philadelphia Inquirer

After Supreme Court’s ‘Janus’ decision, Pa. is Hub for Anti-Union Lawsuits

March 11, 2019

(Philadelphia Inquirer)—Shalea Oliver had been trying to leave her union for more than a year when she found a website offering help. It had a template resignation letter that she could send to her union, SEIU Local 668, and a form to fill out if the letter wasn’t effective, which...

Lebanon Daily News

4 Lebanon County Employees Sue Over Forced Union Dues

March 7, 2019

(Lebanon Daily News)—Four Lebanon County employees are suing the county and a union they say required them to pay dues after the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed that practice. “Our clients have repeatedly made it clear to Lebanon County and Teamsters Local 429 that they do not consent to the deduction...

LebTown

County Faces Lawsuit over Alleged Unauthorized Deduction of Union Dues

March 7, 2019

(LebTown)—Four Lebanon County employees have filed a federal complaint (PDF) against the county and Teamsters Local 429 for unauthorized deductions of union dues from their paychecks. The lawsuit stems from a June 2018 decision by the Supreme Court of the United States that significantly weakened the power of public sector...

The Center Square

Unions Kept Collecting Dues After Workers Resigned

March 3, 2019

(The Center Square)—Pennsylvania lawmakers were warned last fall that if the state didn’t amend its laws to comply with the terms of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Janus v. AFSCME ruling, the result could be a host of legal complications. That warning is now ringing true. The nonprofit Liberty Justice...

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