Paycheck deception bill advances in House

Jefferson City – Continuing the assault on workers in the Missouri General Assembly, the House Workforce Development and Workplace Safety Committee on April 10 referred Senate Bill 29 (SB29), a reckless paycheck deception measure, to the House Rules Committee. From there, it is a short procedural step before the bill reaches the full House.

Sponsored by Sen. Dan Brown (R-Rolla), SB29 – deceptively called “paycheck protection” – would require public-employee unions and teachers groups obtain annual written permission from their members before any dues could be automatically be deducted from their paychecks. The bill specifically exempts unions representing police and firefighters.

‘A HORRIBLE BILL’

“It’s a horrible bill,” said Mike Louis, secretary treasure of the Missouri AFL-CIO. “It’s the most discriminatory kind of anti-labor bill there is. It absolutely discriminates against public-sector employees. It takes away rights that they’ve negotiated into an agreement with the stroke of a pen.”

And it could happen soon.

House Minority Floor Leader Jacob Hummel (D-St. Louis), a member of IBEW Local 1, said the bill could be voted out to the full House as early as this week.

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD

Union members have been calling, sending letters and emails and canvassing legislative districts to oppose paycheck deception, right-to-work (for less) and efforts to undermine prevailing wage standards in the Missouri legislature. (See related appeal for canvassing volunteers on Page 6)

The Missouri AFL-CIO has also set up a hotline that union members and other Missouri residents can call to hear a short message and be connected to their representative to voice their concerns. The number is 888-907-9711.

Telling it like it is

Workers tell it like it is from a personal perspective in new on-line videos at WorkingVoices.Tumblr.com where rank-and-file members explain how the anti-worker issues in the Missouri legislature will hurt all workers and their families.

Explaining the issues are teachers, electricians, municipal workers, grocery store employees, faith leaders and community leaders standing together against so-called right to work (for less) bills, paycheck deception and efforts to undermine prevailing wage standards.