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Michigan Supreme Court turns down appeal in school right-to-work case

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TAYLOR, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan Supreme Court has rejected an appeal in the case of an unusual school labor agreement that was widely viewed as a way to get around the state’s right-to-work law.

The decision Thursday means a 10-year side agreement between the Taylor school district and its teachers is dead. Justice Richard Bernstein wanted to hear the case.

The deal was made just before Michigan’s right-to-work law started in 2013. Taylor and the Taylor Federation of Teachers had agreed that teachers would pay union dues or a service fee over a 10-year period.

But the Michigan Employment Relations Commission struck it down. The state appeals court agreed, saying it would “undermine” the intent of the right-to-work law, which says workers can’t be forced to support a union to keep their job.