Green v. Am. Fed'n of Labor & Cong. of Indus. Organizations

**Green v. American Federation of Labor & Congress of Industrial Organizations** This case involved a worker named Green who tried to bring an employment-related lawsuit against the AFL-CIO, one of America's largest labor unions. Green attempted to file the case with the Supreme Court but requested to proceed "in forma pauperis," which means asking the court to waive filing fees due to financial hardship. The Supreme Court denied Green's request to waive the fees and gave Green until October 28, 2013, to either pay the required court filing fees and submit a properly formatted petition, or the case would be dismissed. The court did not rule on the actual employment dispute because the case never properly moved forward due to these procedural issues. This case highlights an important reality for workers: even when you believe you have a valid employment claim, there are significant procedural and financial barriers to accessing courts, especially higher courts like the Supreme Court. Workers who cannot afford filing fees must meet strict requirements to have those fees waived. This case also shows that even disputes with labor unions themselves can become employment law matters, and that proper legal procedures must be followed regardless of the merit of your underlying complaint.