A Keystone Paycheck Reform

Wall Street Journal ^ | January 25, 2014 | Editorial

[Daveinyork]

The latest state to challenge monopoly union power is Pennsylvania, where the legislature is debating a "paycheck protection" bill banning automatic dues payments. A political brawl is breaking out, though the Republican Governor has so far offered little support.

The SEIU's Pennsylvania State Council says the legislation "threatens collective bargaining rights in Pennsylvania and creates unnecessary and unreasonable restrictions on labor unions." The state AFL-CIO warns the bill "would significantly impair unions' ability to represent their dues and fee paying members." Their real worry is that they'll have less money to spend on politics.

The paycheck proposal would prohibit state and local governments from deducting dues, agency fees and political action-committee contributions from non-public-safety worker paychecks. In other words, government unions would have to directly solicit worker contributions like everyone else.

[Daveinyork]

I've already gotten Facebook postings blaming this on the Koch Brothers, and calling it "union busting legislation."

[ken5050]

They just need to point to Wisconsin..where union membership is down by 40%+..if the union is such a good deal, why are they bailing out en masse.

Also, drop out % would have been much higher, likely was over 50%, had not a number of Dem controlled local governments rushed to sign extensions with the unions..

[The Working Man]

Real Paycheck reform would have no, (zip/zero/nada), deductions what so ever. The recipient of the Paycheck should have to write out or electronically debit the required amounts to the required Payees him/herself.

It’s once the pain become immediate that a person starts to think clearly and then do something about getting the pain removed.

This applies to the local/state/federal taxes too... perhaps especially.

[dis.kevin]

I became a Pennsylvania State employee about a year and a half ago. I almost didn’t accept the position because of the union membership. I sure hope this passes. The union wont get another cent from me.

[Daveinyork]

Making people write checks for union dues hits them in the face and they realize what they are paying, more so than automatic withholding. I think taxes would be much different if there were no salary withholding.