International Association of Machinists v. Street (1959)
- Docket
- 4
- Decided
- 1959-01-01
- Category
- General
Summary
Question: Does the union shop agreement authorizing the spending of union funds on political causes, regardless of the objections of its members, violate the First Amendment? Conclusion: No. In a 7-2 decision, Justice William J. Brennan wrote for a four-judge plurality reversing the lower judgment. The Supreme Court held that the lower court did not need to decide the constitutionality of the union shop agreement. The Court remanded the case with suggestions for possible remedies. Justice William O. Douglas wrote a concurrence noting reservations about the suggested remedies. Justice Charles E. Whitaker concurred in part, but dissented to the suggestion of remedies. Justice Hugo L. Black wrote a dissent, stating that the statute authorizing union expenditures over the objection of its members violated the First Amendment. Justice Felix Frankfurter also wrote a dissent, expressing that the union members were still free to exercise their First Amendment rights.