Tennessee House Subcommittee Strips Critical Paycheck Protection Measures From Salary Increase for Teachers
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Today the Tennessee House Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee approved passage of a stripped-down version of House Bill 329. As passed, the bill marks the largest salary increase for teachers in state history but falls short of providing critical paycheck protection measures that Tennessee teachers and taxpayers deserve.
Prior to the subcommittee's amendment, House Bill 329 fulfilled Governor Bill Lee's vision to put teachers in control of their hard-earned paychecks and get taxpayers out of the business of financing union dues collection—dues that are often spent in support of "woke" political activities. Union bylaws allow the union to take a special assessment from teachers in the case of a substantial pay raise from the state. The current system in which the government collects union dues directly from teachers' paychecks lacks the transparency Tennessee teachers deserve.
“Workers for Opportunity is grateful for passage of House Bill 329, but is disappointed by the failure of the subcommittee to protect teachers' paychecks from union politics and artificial rate hikes,” said Workers for Opportunity Senior Policy Advisor Vincent Vernuccio. “Tennesseans should never have to be the bills collector for unions that fail to represent Tennessee values. It's time unions collect their own dues. We hope the full committee adds these critical protections back into the bill and puts teachers back in charge of their own paychecks.”
House Bill 329's Senate companion—Senate Bill 281—maintains paycheck protection measures and is on track to safeguard Tennessee teacher paychecks and taxpayer dollars from union politicking.
