In other cases ruled on today, the court:

[said by a 6-3 vote that states are free to deny unemployment benefits to laid-off workers who, over and above their regular union dues, helped finance a strike that put them out of work;

The justices said federal labor law does not preclude a state from denying unemployment benefits to out-of-work employees even though they did not participate in the decision to strike or personally spend money in support of the work stoppage.

[in another 6-3 decision shielded the federal government from being sued over recreational accidents at federal dam and flood control sites.

The court had signaled today's affirmative action developments on May 19 when, ironically, it struck down by a 5-4 vote an affirmative plan in Jackson, Mich., that protected Black public school teachers from layoffs at the expense of whites with more seniority.

That ruling expressed strong support for the principle of affirmative action and was hailed as a victory by civil rights groups.

The administration has been in the forefront of the opponents of broad racial preferences, with President Reagan advocating a "colorblind society." The administration has said quotas should be banned because they injure the innocent, usually white males.

Civil rights groups, supported by state and local officials and business leaders, defended goals and quotas to remedy past discrimination.