By Greg Bishop/Illinois Radio Network

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The new justice on the U.S. Supreme Court didn’t speak during Monday’s oral arguments on the workers’ rights case Janus vs. AFSCME. 

The case brought forward by Illinois state employee Mark Janus is over agency fees he and public employees in 21 other state are forced to pay a union as a condition of keeping their jobs. Janus said his First Amendment rights of free speech and free assembly are violated by being forced to pay a union he doesn’t agree with. 

Immediately following the hearing Monday, Janus said he’s glad to finally have his arguments heard before the nine justices of the U.S. Supreme Court. 

“Hopefully the court will accept my ability to have the freedom of speech and association,” he said, “and that they’ll support worker rights in order to be able to let us make our own decision and not be mandated by another force or third party.” 

Liberty Justice Center’s Jacob Huebert, who represented Janus in front of the court, was unfazed by new-to-the-court Justice Neil Gorsuch’s silence. 

“It was hard to know what he would do and, of course, now we have no further insight into what he was thinking, so it’s just a matter of waiting and seeing, like it’s always been,” Huebert told Illinois News Network. 

President Donald Trump appointed Gorsuch in 2017 to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia in 2016. 

Chants of “stand with Mark” and “forced dues have got to go” butted up against chants of “union strong” and “solidarity” chants before Monday’s arguments. 

Rebecca Friedrichs, the California teacher whose similar case the court deadlocked on two years ago because of Scalia’s death, said she was bullied by union leaders even when she was a union representative. 

“And all they did was drown me out,” Friedrichs said, while a heckler yelled at her, saying she’s not a real worker. “Like that, that’s all they did. It was yelling and screaming and angry, and they wouldn’t listen to my fellow workers and me.” 

Union supporters chanted “union strong” and criticized other speakers, including other public employees in support of Janus, saying they should give their benefits back. 

Vice President of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education Rev. Derek McCoy said the debate is healthy. 

“If you’re standing next to somebody and they disagree, say ‘thank you for the first amendment,’” McCoy said. 

McCoy said it’s important to restore that free speech to employees who don’t want to be forced into a union.