New legislation targeting the operations of unions was introduced in the Idaho Legislature’s Senate Commerce and Human Resources Committee Thursday.
Senate Bill 1259, introduced by Sen. Brian Lenney (R-Nampa), puts the administration of the elections of union leaders in in the hands of their employers and would require union member lists to be disclosed to their employers. The measure is part of a series of expected union-busting bills aimed at disrupting union operations in Idaho, but especially the IEA.
“The enemies of public education are distraught over the successes of IEA members in recent years,” McInelly said previously. “These union-busting bills are a direct response to IEA members’ fighting for better funding for public education, more resources for Idaho’s students and public schools, and better salaries and benefits for dedicated public school educators. Our members anticipated these attacks and are prepared to fight for their rights.”
Among the expected measures are attacks on IEA members’ ability to:
- Use voluntary payroll deduction to pay member dues
- Collaborate and negotiate with school districts in good faith
- Select and pay the salaries of association leaders using member dues
Senate Bill 1259 is expected to have a full hearing in the Senate Commerce and Human Resources Committee in the next several days.
The union-busting effort is being led by the Freedom Foundation, a national anti-union, anti-public education policy mill that has led similar efforts across the nation and that has close ties with the Idaho Freedom Foundation.