A California union forged an employee’s signature on a dues check-off form. This incident, and the outrageous result of the court case it spawned, demonstrate why protections are necessary requiring employee opt-ins for paying union dues.

A federal court in California has held that a union can keep dues it collected illegally by forging a membership card. Even though Maria Quezambra never authorized anyone to deduct dues from her paycheck, United Domestic Workers of America, AFCSME Local 3930, withheld dues from 2013 to 2019. The court has held that Quezambra cannot recover those dues, essentially stripping her of the ability to fully recover damages for the violation of her First Amendment rights.