Mary Beth Schneider, writing for the Indy Star, has an interesting article about a legislative priority of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce to prohibit allowing voluntary deductions from teacher paychecks for payment of union dues. They don’t particularly want to apply this prohibition to other public sector unions like firefighters or police.
No principled reason for this hangs together if you single out a particular kind of public sector union. But, principle doesn’t have a lot to do with this aside from the principle that “unions are political opponents and we’d like them to be weaker.”
The article suggests that, with the wide availability of automatic withdrawals or payments from bank accounts, the elimination of deductions from paychecks might not be as big a deal for the unions as it once was. Still, it’s fairly clear that this initiative is little more than union bashing.
It’s going to be a long, long session….
This is unreal from many viewpoints and while interested in exact wordage that will be produced without it being very open that the attack in on teachers. Interesting if allow for deduction for other organizations/unions by governmental units. Interesting if allow for deductions for such things as school or community foundations or any chartiable organization. Interesting that while on one hand promoting need for teachers that there would be bill singling out teacher activities. Well, guess it does go along with intent to reduce teacher certification requirements thus reducing any impact of those now in the public school teaching profession.
While understand the defining of all teacher’s associations as “union” have been involved long enough to remember when things were much different as to public attitude toward teacher organizations. Also, remember why the role changed in reaction/response to the political conditions that existed in public schools. Would seem that situations are going back to “teachers do what you are told and keep your mouth shut or else”. And, we want an education system that turns out an engaged citizentry, hum.
Or, as Mr. Potter said in “It’s a Wonderful Life (yeah, right),” you give them access to affordable housing and you end with a discontented rabble instead of a thrifty working class.
Or people who will gratefully work for next to nothing, whatever their educational level. That’s the vision for Indissippi.
It isn’t union bashing. It is teacher’s union bashing. I am guessing it has to do with the fact that police and fire-fighter unions are considered more moderate than teachers unions. This isn’t a defense, but it is an explanation.
Paul C.,
It is a political tactic. The same thing happened in Michigan with the so-called “right to work law.” And in Wisconsin, I think.
Police and Firefighters unions are more conservative and often endorse Republicans.
Agreed. That was the point I was making.