Federal law requires labor unions to represent all workers in a bargaining unit, even workers who do not join the union. Most union contracts require all workers to pay a fee to help the union enforce the contract. But at least 28 states have passed laws exempting workers from these fees.
None of those laws have been struck down by the courts. Kentucky's law went into effect in January 2017. Labor unions argued it violated the state's Constitutional ban on laws that unfairly target a specific group of people. But the court ruled the law is not discriminatory because it applies to all employers and employees, with a few exceptions.
