The bill in Pennsylvania says that if unions want money from their workers, they have to get the workers to write a check as they pay any other bill. Let’s call that fairness. It’s also fair to taxpayers, who shouldn’t have to incur costs as Big Labor’s cash collector.
If the union political activities and collective bargaining agreements are of great value to workers, they should be very willing to write a check each month, just as they do to pay utility bills and credit-card expenses.
Consider how this contrasts with current practice in Pennsylvania. It’s now permissible for a school district’s personnel office to act as the collection agent for political action committee contributions and membership dues on behalf of a government union.
The taxpayer-financed government payroll systems deduct union dues just as they do taxes. And then these funds are pipelined directly to union officials, who can use the funds for lobbying, campaign contributions and other political action.
Pennsylvania AFL-CIO official Rick Bloomingdale calls this initiative a “war on workers.” The unions see paycheck protection as a wholesale declaration of war on collective bargaining rights and union activities — even though this would still allow collective bargaining and union political action committees.