Jan. 21 (Bloomberg) — The U.S. Supreme Court debated Tuesday whether public employees can constitutionally be forced to pay fees to a union, weighing a politically tinged case that may undercut the power of organized labor.

Hearing arguments in Washington, several justices voiced skepticism about Illinois rules requiring union dues from people who provide in-home care for disabled Medicaid recipients.

Other justices suggested they didn't see any infringement of the First Amendment rights of workers who object. Justice Elena Kagan said the arguments made by those workers would "radically restructure" operations at workplaces across the country.

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