International Ass'n of Firefighters, Local 1789 v. Spokane Airports

For over 30 years, Spokane Airports (Airport), a municipal corporation, matched the social security and Medicare payments withdrawn from the monthly wages of its fire fighter employees. When the fire fighters, represented by the International Association of Firefighters, Local 1789 (Union), voted to opt out of the social security system, they demanded reimbursement of the funds withdrawn from their paychecks as well as the funds paid by Airport to social security and Medicare on their behalf. On a Union motion for summary judgment, the trial court applied International Association of…