Oregon Bill Has “Teacher Unions” Written All Over It
Oregon is known as a heavily-unionized state, which prior to the National Right to Work Legal Foundation-won Janus decision, collected union dues from teachers and forced those who did not wish to belong, to pay force dues under agency shop clauses. A bill before the legislature would preserve teacher union power and essentially render moot all of the hard-won freedoms of Janus. Since 1968 the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation and CEAFU have fought against and litigated these very issues teacher union officials are trying to enshrine in state law: forced dues, unequal access, official time – all teacher union privileges designed to consolidate and fortify their power over teachers and the public. Oregon teachers have much to lose.
The Bulletin Editorial Board correctly argues money for the classroom should not go to teacher union officials instead..
Ever since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 Janus decision changed how public-sector unions can operate, those unions and their allies have been working to change laws to their advantage.
House Bill 2016 is one example in the Oregon Legislature. It basically hands Oregon’s public-sector unions a direct subsidy from the state and should be rejected.