The U.S. Supreme Court’s forthcoming decision, expected in June, in Janus v. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Council 31, is one of the most eagerly anticipated rulings this year. Even representatives of the Roman Catholic hierarchy in the U.S. have weighed in — although not all of the bishops are happy about the position they’ve taken.

At issue is the legal status of mandatory union dues for blatant political activity. Mark Janus, a child-support specialist at the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, is suing the union that represents him because he doesn’t think he should be forced to pay dues to a union he feels does not represent his interests. Currently, in a “closed shop” state like Illinois, Janus has no choice.