Senate discusses bill on union payroll deductions

A pair of bills that would require written consent from public employees for payroll deductions and dues paid to unions continue to work their way through Missouri's General Assembly.

The Missouri Senate's Committee on General Laws heard a proposal Wednesday from state Sen. Denny Hoskins, R-Warrensburg, which would require annual authorizations from public employees wanting to make the deductions. Opponents said, though, Missouri law already exempts teachers from requirements to pay union dues. The Missouri House also voted Wednesday to advance a House version of the bill.

Hoskins' bill would require public employees to sign written statements each year granting unions the ability to deduct fees and union dues from their paychecks. Public employees would also be required to state the amount of money unions can use for political donations.

Matthew Panik, a lobbyist for the Jefferson City-based Missouri Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber views the proposal as reasonable.

"I think it's not overly burdensome on the employees to simply check a box each year," Panik said.

Otto Fajen, a lobbyist with Missouri teachers union Missouri NEA, said most teachers and school districts can already adopt policies that allow voluntary deductions like the ones allowed by Hoskins' bill.

"That's already been the law since 1983," Fajen said. "From our perspective, (the 1983 law) pretty much covers the bases, it also is efficient because it doesn't force the school district employers to do this in any particular timetable."

Missouri SEIU Legislative Director Clark Brown represents service employees around Missouri. Brown said union agreements with most public employees in Missouri are already voluntary.

"Our authorization cards clearly say it's voluntary," Brown said. "So, all the language in this legislation about a particular form isn't necessary. It's already bargained with the state of Missouri."

On Wednesday, the Missouri House advanced a bill similar to Hoskins', which also requires written authorization for labor organizations to withdraw money from the paychecks of public employees for union dues or political reasons. Both pieces of legislation are similar to bills discussed by the General Assembly going back as far as 1998.