Once again, some Louisiana lawmakers have introduced bills that would prohibit public employees from paying their professional organization dues through payroll deduction.
Similar bills were introduced in the past two sessions; none of them advanced past the committee level.
The bills are part of a nationwide campaign by big business to silence the voices of union members. In states like Wisconsin, the attack on public sector unions led to ugly disruptions and strife that gained nationwide publicity.
In Louisiana, three bills have been introduced that would prohibit the payroll deduction of union dues for public employees. HB 172 by Rep. Kirk Talbot (R-River Ridge) and HB 451 by Rep. Alan Seabaugh (R-Shreveport) are scheduled to be heard by the House Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations, and SB 440 by Rep. Danny Martiny (R-Metairie) is slated for a Senate Finance Committee hearing.
A Washington, D.C. big business lobby, the National Right to Work Committee, has already sent members of the House a letter supporting efforts to silence public employees. The letter, which is rife with factual errors, claims that the payroll deduction of dues is “a foot in the door to force compulsory unionism on all of Louisiana’s government employees.”
That is, of course, a lie. Louisiana is a right-to-work state. Membership in unions is completely voluntary, and there is nothing on the horizon to suggest that it will change.
In a floor letter to representatives, LFT President Steve Monaghan wrote that payroll deduction is a service that is “available to credit unions, insurance companies and numbers of other vendors as well as associations and union. It is and has been a part of the payroll systems already in use by municipal, parish and state government offices.
“In fact, payroll deduction is a service that has been available to employees for decades. Despite NRWC’s dire insinuations and warnings, never in all that time has “compulsory unionism” been an issue raised by anyone.”
Here is the complete text of the LFT floor letter to representatives:
Reject House Bill 172
Reject House Bill 451
Reject Senate Bill 440
Reject the National Right to Work Committee’s attempt to silence workers and foment discord
Dear Representative:
Two years ago, a very well-funded out-of-state interest group wrote you to try to influence the way Louisiana’s public bodies and their employees work together. On March 5, 2014, that group, the National Right to Work Committee, again mailed you a communication with the same stale, divisive message.
NRWC has urged passage of HB 172 and SB 440 “and any other legislation that would ban “the collection of union dues.” Such legislation is known as “silence their voices” attacks, not only on unions but on the rights of public employees to have their voices heard.
Since Louisiana is already a Right to Work state and since there is no legislation pending challenging this status, NRWC’s interest seems more about fomenting strife and unrest than addressing a real problem.
Frankly, the NRWC communication is what it is – hot rhetoric presenting an outrageous attack on public servants and their professional organizations.
This Washington, D.C. lobby group wants you to believe that allowing employees to pay their organizational dues through payroll deduction is a special union privilege and a step toward “compulsory unionism on all of Louisiana’s government employees.” A simple review of Louisiana history reveals this for the lie that it is.
Payroll deduction is, in fact, neither of those. In our e-commerce, digital universe, it is a service to businesses and employees available to credit unions, insurance companies and numbers of other vendors as well as associations and union. It is and has been a part of the payroll systems already in use by municipal, parish and state government offices.
In fact, payroll deduction is a service that has been available to employees for decades. Despite NRWC’s dire insinuations and warnings, never in all that time has “compulsory unionism” been an issue raised by anyone.
Again, Louisiana is a right-to-work state. Employees are free to join or not join any union and/or association as they choose and to spend their paychecks as they choose.
Organizations like the Louisiana Federation of Teachers provide valuable services to their members as well as to communities as a whole. Yes, we express the views of our members and we defend their rights, but we also support our schools and believe passionately in quality public education for every child.
Even during the most profound disagreements, we have always engaged civilly and productively.
The National Right to Work Committee wants silent compliance. In states where they have even partially succeeded, like Wisconsin, the results have been ugly and disruptive. From the comfort of its Washington, DC office, the NRWC will celebrate their success if Louisiana becomes mired in such an unproductive, unnecessary struggle.
Freedom of speech and association are crucial to a representative form of government. The prohibition of payroll deduction of union dues is intended to stifle those freedoms and ultimately weaken our democracy.
On behalf of the 20,000 members of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, I urge you to reject SB 440, HB 172, and HB 451. Please reject the National Right to Work Committee’s stale, divisive message.
As a legislator, your time and energies are needed to address real, Louisiana problems and not to further the agenda of a national single issue, special interest group.
Sincerely,
Steve Monaghan, President
Louisiana Federation of Teachers