On Friday morning, the Idaho House State Affairs Committee room was packed with union members ready to testify against the latest attempt to silence the Idaho Education Association.
And then the committee punted.
Chair Brent Crane (R-Nampa) said the absence of three committee members meant the public hearing for House Bill 98 wouldn’t happen until Monday. With that, members of IEA, along with AFL-CIO, the Professional Fire Fighters of Idaho (PFFI), and the Idaho Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) — all of whom were ready to testify and show support for their fellow union members — stood up and left the room en masse.
That show of solidarity by both public- and private-sector unions against HB 98 is a sign of the ravaging effects the bill could have on IEA, and the door it opens to attacking other public-sector unions in the state. As reported in last week’s edition of IEA Reporter, HB 98 closely resembles the toxic bill that came before legislators last year — just fine-tuned for this year’s legislative session. Only teachers’ unions are targeted in the bill.
HB 98 would strip union members of their ability to work cooperatively or negotiate in good faith with their districts, prohibit members from receiving compensation or work related to the union, and prohibit educators from paying their union dues through payroll deduction. IEA’s ongoing IEA AutoPay campaign is designed to protect the union from any payroll deduction legislation.
“IEA AutoPay is one of our strongest tools against union-busting legislation like HB 98,” said IEA Executive Director Paul Stark. “IEA members have been stepping up by signing up for AutoPay. The more we can insulate the union from the effects of these suffocating bills, the better — that’s why it’s so crucial that every single member makes the switch.”
But HB 98 isn’t just harmful to IEA members. All Idaho unions can clearly see the consequences of such legislation.
“We’ll all be ready on Monday when the State Affairs Committee convenes once again,” said Chris Parri, IEA’s political director. “The support and strength of our union brothers and sisters means the world. They know that what harms one of us harms us all — and if the Idaho Legislature is willing to make our devoted educators a target, it’s not too difficult to see how hardworking fire fighters, police officers, and private-sector workers might be next.”
There’s still time to submit your thoughts about HB 98 to State Affairs committee members. The committee will reconvene at 9 a.m. on Monday. You can let committee members know how this bill will affect your union — just click the link below for contact information.
