Michigan Senate Votes to Release Union “Official” Time Perk

Teacher union and other public sector union officials have long enjoyed a special perk called “release time,” “official time,” or “union business time.”  Whatever the name, the definition is governments allow union officials to conduct union business during work hours, and get paid for it (presumably by the union as well as the government.  These officials also accrue any benefits due to other employees such as retirement benefits, etc., as they conduct union business on the taxpayer’s dime.  It seems the Michigan Senate has finally seen the light and put this perk to rest.  Jonathan Oosting has the story in the Detroit News online.

Michigan’s Republican-led Senate on Tuesday narrowly voted to ban paid “release time” contract provisions that allow public school employees to conduct union business during their work day.

GOP senators rejected amendments from Democrats, who decried the proposal as an attack on organized labor.