More accurately, writes Larry Sand, it is a pushback of union time on the taxpayer’s dime.
Several red states are pushing reforms to curb influence and give taxpayers a much-needed break.
In Idaho, look at what Gov. Brad Little has accomplished:
Gov. Little recently signed a bill that will end public support for teachers’ unions. The new law will prohibit school districts from deducting dues directly from teachers’ paychecks and will limit unions’ ability to recruit members during school hours. It will also end the practice of granting teachers paid time off for a range of union activities, including supporting candidates for office, soliciting membership, and participating in protests or advocacy.
This racket allows public employees to conduct various types of union business during working hours, with the taxpayer footing the bill.
Arizona, Florida, and Oklahoma are states joining the anti-union bandwagon. The way things stand now, “dissenting teachers can quit, but only during a brief window that the unions often obscure, or they are sucked in for another year.”
Nationally, on March 17, the Department of Labor rolled out a system that lets workers see how labor unions spend their dues. This information will help workers determine if unionization is right for them (many teachers and union members have not a clue as to where the dues go).
The news is not necessarily good everywhere. In deep blue Oregon, for example, a new law makes it illegal to “falsely impersonate” a union rep and imposes fines for violations. The legislation was written to discourage the Freedom Foundation, which sends mailers to union members reminding them that they can opt out of the union and save money under the Supreme Court’s 2018 Janus v. AFSCME ruling. New York and Hawaii have also introduced similar measures.
Mr. Sand notes how several red states and the federal government are beginning to push back against teacher-union hegemony. However, Sand also notes, much more needs to be done to address an unjust situation that has festered for far too long.
