Robin Gansley Mitchell Arthur L. Benveniste Walter J. Borden Conrad J. Chavez v. Los Angeles Unified School District, and United Teachers-Los Angeles

SCHROEDER, Circuit Judge:

The plaintiffs-appellees in this case are employees of the defendant Los Angeles Unified School District. They are represented by the defendant and appellant union, United Teachers — Los Angeles. That union represents approximately 35,000 teachers in the Los Angeles School District under an agency shop agreement duly certified pursuant to the California Educational Employment Relations Act, Cal.Gov’t Code §§ 3540-3549.3 (West 1980 & Supp. 1992). The agreement contains an agency fee provision which authorizes a payroll deduction on behalf of the union for all…