In the case of St. John et al. v. Wisconsin Employment Relations Board et al., 1950, the U.S Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Wisconsin Employment Relations Board (WERB). The dispute arose when WERB ordered a labor union to cease and desist from engaging in unfair labor practices such as coercing employees to join their organization or face termination from employment at Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company, where they were employed. The union challenged this order arguing that it violated their First Amendment rights by restricting their freedom of speech and assembly; however, the court disagreed with them. The Supreme Court held that while unions have constitutional rights under the First Amendment, these do not extend to using coercion or threats against non-union members for purposes of recruitment or maintaining membership numbers. It was also noted that states have a legitimate interest in regulating industrial relations and ensuring fair labor practices within its jurisdiction which includes preventing coercive tactics by unions on workers who choose not to join them.

In the dissenting opinion for St. John et al. v. Wisconsin Employment Relations Board et al., Justice Frankfurter argued that the majority's decision was a departure from established principles of federalism and judicial restraint, which he believed should guide the Court in its interpretation of state laws and regulations. He contended that it was not within the purview of the Supreme Court to interfere with a state's management of its own affairs unless there is clear evidence that constitutional rights have been violated, which he did not believe was present in this case. Furthermore, Frankfurter asserted that even if such violations were present, they should be addressed by local authorities first before being escalated to higher courts. In his view, intervening prematurely could undermine public confidence in local institutions and disrupt delicate balances between different levels of government.