Five public school teachers Monday filed a proposed class action against the California Teachers Association and their local labor union affiliates, alleging that school districts continue charging them union dues even though they are no longer members.

The educators, including one from Hayward and one from Fremont, said in a complaint filed in San Francisco federal district court that they weren't told they could opt out of joining the local teachers unions. When the teachers later resigned their memberships, they say union leaders told them they had to continue paying dues until a specified withdrawal period arrived.

The teachers, represented by the Dhillon Law Group of San Francisco and the Washington-based Freedom Foundation, argue that the ongoing dues violate Janus v. AFSCME. The 2018 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court held that forcing non-union members to pay fair-share fees—covering the costs of collective bargaining—violates public-sector workers' First Amendment rights.