| Bill Passes AR House Allowing Teachers to Exit Union at Any Time |
| posted by: Alana | March 24, 2015, 03:35 PM |
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House Bill 1957 aims to close this inequity and more. The bill allows public school employees to have ultimate control over their paychecks. If passed, an employee may join or terminate membership with a labor organization (AEA/NEA) or professional trade association (ASTA/AAE) at any time. Here at ASTA, we’ve always respected teachers’ wishes to join and drop at any time.
 ASTA supports HB 1957. The bill empowers teachers and other education employees to make financial decisions that best fit their budget and beliefs at any time of the year and for any reason.  In Arkansas, we speak to teachers daily that are unaware of their rights. Many want to join ASTA and cannot because of narrow drop windows. Others decide to drop association membership altogether for financial reasons and are forced to pay dues they can’t afford for months on end. Teachers should be revered as respected professionals, and their requests should be honored.  Taking heat from the bill's opponents for passing HB 1957 through the House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee instead of through House Education Committee, Rep. Bruce Cozart, R-Hot Springs, chairman of the Education Committee, said he believed the Legislature had the responsibility to intervene on behalf of teachers.  "Contracts are a lot of things that a lot of us are in. I have a contract with that lady right over there," he said, pointing to his wife. "I have a contract of marriage. I can get out of that marriage contract faster than a teacher can get out of his contract with the union."  We hope that our members speak out in support of HB 1957.  Have you had difficulty leaving the union?
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