(MI) House passes bill barring districts from deducting teachers' union dues

[proud2BlibKansan]

Lansing — School districts would be barred from deducting union dues from teachers' paychecks under a bill that narrowly passed in the House this afternoon.

The bill passed 55-53, with most Republicans supporting the measure and most Democrats opposed.

Republicans said money now deducted for union dues will now go into teachers pockets so they will have the option of not paying if they don't want to. Democrats argued the measure won't save any money, and is meant to undermine unions.

"I don't understand how giving people money back in their paycheck is a bad thing," said Rep. Joe Haveman, R-Holland, the bill's primary sponsor. "It makes them more accountable.

"It's better if they have to make that conscious decision on a monthly basis (to pay their union dues.)"


From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110915/METRO/109150459/House-passes-bill-barring-districts-from-deducting-teachers’-union-dues#ixzz1YDFfyyZ0

[HereSince1628]

1. This is part of the ALEC model used in Wisconsin.

The idea is indeed to make it harder for unions to collect dues. The anti-labor groups can argue all they want, but their intent is clear.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. It's definitely union busting

Unions will now spend the majority of their time collecting dues instead of representing their members.

[Selatius]

3. It's a shade of "right-to-work" laws found in anti-labor states.

In those states, you can work in a union workplace without having to pay any union dues or be a member of the union. You would have to make a conscious effort to do so. Further, non-union workers are to be given the same benefits as all union workers in such a workplace. So many workers don't see a need to join the union at all for the benefits. Predictably, this creates a massive freeloader problem on any union that exists in those states and usually eventually leads to the union being decertified once unionization levels drop below 50% in that workplace.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. Just found this out

In right to work states, the union members pay for contract negotiation but ALL employees vote to ratify the contract.

[Selatius]

7. Hence, the term "freeloader" gets tossed about, for good reason.

I find it funny people where I live celebrate a culture of rugged individualism and play up this stand-up-for-yourself mentality, yet they are so submissive and passive in the face of corporate thuggery in the workplace and would willingly scab on their own at the drop of a dime. There is no collective labor consciousness, and if there is, it's actively suppressed.

[Scout]

9. they see themselves as strong, rugged individualists who don't need no damn

help from no damn union. they see those who are in a union as weak and unable to negotiate on their own. they assume that everyone in a union is a slacker, but think that they are damn hard workers!

[Generic Other]

5. Union busting is disgusting

When do we reach the tipping point that's gonna bring us all into the streets for a General Strike? Because if we refuse to act, we may as well kiss our rights goodbye for generations. Are we really that afraid of them?

[socialshockwave]

6. Maybe I'm dumb, but

why should those who don't want to join a union HAVE to pay money to a union they're not part of?

It almost seems like organized theft, at least to me.

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. Because the union negotiates their contract

In teaching, if you get a raise, the union negotiated it. If you pay lower premiums on your health insurance, the union negotiated that too. Also length of work day, amount of planning time, now much you get for classroom supplies . . . .

Why should those who don't pay dues get the benefits of the working conditions negotiated by the union?

[Scout]

10. exactly. they are too short-sighter to see that if no one paid into

the union, their benefits would soon be on their way to Suckassville as the company gradually (or not) started squeezing.

[TeamsterDem]

11. Should communists not have to pay taxes to a capitalist government?

I know several communists who pay their taxes and fully cooperate with all aspects of American society, yet they seek to democratically change the sociopolitical landscape in this country at the ballot box. They've obviously not been successful yet, so they continue to comply with the system because not doing so would be in some cases illegal but in many cases very, very selfish.

Perhaps if someone doesn't want a union to represent them they should opt for a non-union employment arrangement or seek to democratically vote the union out. That failing, some in any society may disagree with the overall sentiment but if they want the benefits of that society they pay for them. Someone who works a union job but doesn't want to pay union dues is no better than the rich trying to duck their tax burden: Both fully accept the benefits of the system without wanting to put anything into it. Selfish people.

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. You are... if you do NOT belong to the Union,

you don't get it deducted.

If you belong to the union then you do...

:banghead:

It should not be this hard, really.

Is the anti union propaganda that bad up north too?

[Angry Dragon]

13. republican assholes