Good morning,

Did you know in Texas public-sector unions are allowed to have government entities collect their dues and remit them to the union on a regular basis?

This is the Texas Minute.

– Brandon Waltens 

Monday, November 9, 2020
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• Once a government employee joins a public union, the state allows dues to be automatically deducted from employee paychecks and transferred directly to their respective union. In the hands of unions, the funds are primarily utilized to advocate against free market and pro-taxpayer legislation.
   

• While political funding is separate from union dues, studies have shown in states that ban the practice of government employee union dues, union ranks shrink. Smaller membership numbers mean less dues and less political spending by the union.
   

• When government collects union dues for public employees, the taxpayers become the dues enforcer for the union. As private entities, unions should collect their own dues - just like any other membership organization.
   

• The Heritage Foundation says banning union dues collection by governmental entities, “reduce union campaign donations by approximately 50 percent."

• So where has the state legislature been on this issue? 
   
• Despite being a legislative priority of the Republican Party of Texas last session, legislation to eliminate the automatic collection of union dues was never filed in either chamber of the Texas Legislature.

• Last year, hundreds of grassroots leaders and organizations from across the state signed on to support the Lone Star Agenda—a package of conservative reforms to be passed during a special session intended to unite voters ahead of the upcoming elections.
   
• Among those reforms? Passing legislation to end government collection of labor union dues.
   
• Prohibiting government-union collusion won't stifle the speech or ability of public sector unions to advocate for their members, as members would still be able to contribute to associations of their choosing. The only difference is that the burden would simply fall on the unions, rather than taxpayers.
   
• Though calls for a special session were ignored by Republican statewide elected officials, citizens intend to continue fighting for those policies in the upcoming legislative session.
   
• Though the 2021 legislative session will not begin on January 12, 2021, it is never too early to contact your lawmakers and ask them if they will listen to the citizens, or if they will continue to obstruct conservative reforms.

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